A  SYSTEM 


OF 


ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION  f 


CONTAINING 


RULES  FOR  THE  STRUCTURE  OF  THE  DIFFERENT 
KINDS  OF  VERSE ; 


ILLUSTRATED   BY 
NUMEROUS  EXAMPLES  FROM  THE  BEST  POETS. 

BY 

ERASTUS  EVERETT,  A.M. 


Munus  et  officium,  nil  scribens  ipse,  docebo  ; 
Unde  parentur  opes  ;  quid  alat  formetque  poetam  ; 
Quid  deceat,  quid  non  ;  quo  virtus,  quo  ferat  error. 


HOR. 

V  E  R  S I T  Y 


NEW- YORK: 

D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY,  200  BROADWAY. 

PHILADELPHIA  : 

GEO.  S.  APPLETON,  148  CHESNUT-ST. 

MDCCCXLVIII. 


GENERAL 

l\\  < 


ENTERED,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1847, 

BY  ERASTUS  EVERETT, 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Conrt  for  the  District  of  Louisiana. 


CONTENTS. 


HUM 
PREFACE,  .  .  .  •       1 

TITLE  I. 

QUANTITY. 
CHAPTER  I. 

IAMBIC      MEASURES. 
SECT. 

1.  Quantity  of  the  Iambus,                .  .14 

2.  The  Iambus  followed  by  a  short  syllable,          .  ib. 

3.  The  line  of  two  Iambuses,               .              .             .  .15 

4.  The  line  of  two  Iambuses  followed  by  a  short  syllable,  18 

5.  The  line  of  three  Iambuses,           .         .    .             .  •         19 

6.  The  line  of  three  Iambuses  followed  by  a  short  syllable,  22 
1.  The  line  of  four  Iambuses,             .             .             .  .25 

8.  The  line  of  Four  Iambuses  followed  by  a  short  syllable,  35 

9.  The  Heroic  line,  .  .  .  *  '•        36 

10.  Blank  verse,    ....••  52 

11.  The  line  of  five  Iambuses  followed  by  a  short  syllable,       .         58 

12.  The  Alexandrine, 

13.  The  line  of  seven  Iambuses, 

14.  The  line  of  seven  Iambuses  followed  by  a  short  syllable, 

15.  General  remarks  on  the  Iambus,  .  .  .  .78 

CHAPTER  II. 

TROCHAIC     MEASURES. 

16.  Quantity  of  the  Trochee, 

17.  The  line  of  a  single  Trochee, 

185936 


Vl  CONTENTS. 

8ECT.  'AGE 

IS.  The  line  of  a  Trochee  followed  by  a  long  syllable,      .  *           82 

19.  The  line  of  two  Trochees,             .             .  .-83 

20.  The  line  of  two  Trochees  followed  by  a  long  syllable,  85 

21.  The  line  of  three  Trochees,           .             .             .  .86 

22.  The  line  of  three  Trochees  followed  by  a  long  syllable,  87 

23.  The  line  of  four  Trochees,            .            .  90 

24.  The  line  of  four  Trochees  followed  by  a  long  syllable,  93 

25.  The  line  of  five  Trochees,         '  ";.    *                      .  '.94 

26.  The  line  of  six  Trochees, ^_     .^.  95 

CHAPTER  III. 

ANAPESTIC     MEASURES. 

27.  Quantity  of  the  Anapest,  and  the  nature  of  this  foot,  .         96 

28.  The  line  of  a  single  Anapest  preceded  by  an  Iambus,  .  99 

29.  The  line  of  two  Anapests,             .             .             .  .       100 

30.  The  line  of  two  Anapests  preceded  by  an  Iambus,      ,  101 

31.  The  line  of  three  Anapests,          "*             .  ,       ••  „•  .       103 

32.  The  line  of  three  Anapests  preceded  by  an  Iambus,    .  105 

33.  The  line  of  four  Anapests,            V            .             .  .       107 

34.  The  line  of  two  Anapests  and  two  Iambuses,  .             .  109 

35.  The  line  of  four  Anapests  followed  by  a  short  syllable,  .       Ill 

CHAPTER  IV. 

THE      PYRRHIC. 

36.  Quantity  of  the  Pyrrhic,          .            .            .             .  113 

1.  Its  use  in  the  first  place  of  the  line,               .  :       114 

2.  Its  use  in  the  second  place  of  the  line,    .              .  ib. 

3.  Its  use  in  the  third  place  of  the  line,              .  .       115 

4.  Its  use  in  the  fourth  place  of  the  line.     .             .  ib. 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE      SPONDEE. 

37.  Quantity  of  the  Spondee,               .             .  .115 

1.  Its  use  in  the  first  place  of  the  line,         .             .  116 

2.  Its  use  in  the  second  place  of  the  line,          .  .         ib. 

3.  Its  use  in  the  third  place  of  the  line,       .             .  ib. 

4.  Its  use  in  the  fourth  place  of  the  line,          .  .         117 

5.  Its  use  in  the  fifth  place  of  the  line,         .  ib. 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE     AMPHIBRACH. 
SKCT,  PAGE 

38.  Quantity  of  the  foot ;  line  of  one  Amphibrach,    .  .         117 

39.  Line  of  two  Amphibrachs,       .  118 

CHAPTER  VII. 

THE      TRIBRACH. 

40.  Quantity  of  the  Tribrach,  .  .       121 

1.  Its  use  in  the  second  place  of  the  line,    .  .  ib. 

2.  Its  use  in  the  third  place  of  the  line,  .         ib. 

3.  Its  use  in  the  fourth  place,          .  ib. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE      DACTYLE. 

Its  quantity  and  use,  ..          V  .  .  •       122 


TITLE  II. 

CONSTRUCTION. 
CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  PAUSES. 

41.  Cajsural  pause, 

42.  Secondary  pauses,  .  '  *•  ;          -       136 

43 .  The  final  pause,  140 

CHAPTER  X. 

THE      HIATUS. 

44.  Definition  of,  *       146 

CHAPTER  XI. 

THE   COMPLETION  OF   THE   SENSE   BY   THE  COUPLET. 

45.  General  Remarks ;  Examples,  148 

1* 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

MONOSYLLABIC     VERSE. 
SECT.  PAGE 

46.  Dryden's  opinion ;  Examples,         .  .  .  150 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE      ELISION. 

47.  Elision  of  e  in  the  before  a  vowel,  .  ^       ..,         V      154 

48.  The   Elision  of  a  vowel  so  as  to  diminish  the  number  of 

syllables,  ..      ,  .  j/:.        .     -  .  .  155 

49.  The  Elision  of  an  entire  syllable,          .  .        :    w  156 

50.  Tne  Elision  of  the  vowel  in  the  second  person  of  the  verb,  157 

51.  The  Elision  of  some  letter  in  the  substantive  verb,  and  in 

the  auxiliaries,  .  .  .  .  .         ib. 

52.  The  Elision  of  a  consonant,  in  order  to  change  a  dissyllable 

into  a  monosyllable,     .-  .•  *'--         »;          ;      158 

53.  The  Elision  of  a  vowel  before  a  consonant,  or  of  one  con 

sonant  before  another,  .  .  .  .         ib. 

54.  Improper  Elision  of  the  Dactyle  and  the  Anapest,        .  -  159 

55.  The  e  in  ed  final  not  to  be  elided,  .  .  .160 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

MELODY     AND     HARMONY. 

56.  Examples  of,  .  .        .    .  .  '.J       ...  163 

CHAPTER  XV. 

RHYME. 

57.  Perfect  Rhyme,        .  *  :J.      ,, .,  u        ...  „  .          •."  168 

58.  Admissible  Rhymes,        .  .  .  .       173 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

DIFFICULT     COMBINATIONS. 

59.  Examples  of,         .  .  .  .  .  .179 


CONTENTS.  IX 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

INVERSION. 

SECT.  PAGE 

60.  Definition  of  Inversion,     .             .  *                          •       182 

61.  The  first  species  of  Inversion,               »  .             •             183 

62.  The  second  species,           ...  .       189 

63.  The  third  species,        .             .             .  .               ib. 

64.  The  fourth  species,            .             .  .                          .192 

65.  The  fifth  species,         .             .             ."  .    '        193 

66.  The  sixth  species,              .             .  .             .             .         ib. 

67.  The  seventh  species,    .             .             .^  ib. 

68.  The  eighth  species,           .          V  «        .;  •            •       194 

69.  Various  inversions  of  the  Adverb,         .  .             .             196 


ERRATA. 

Page  14,  line  15,  for  feet  read  syllables. 
Page  15,  line  5,  for  Gdes  read  Odes. 
Page  27,  line  12,  for  others'  read  others. 
Page  35,  line  22,  after  iwi  insert  is. 


PREFACE. 

THE  following  work  is  intended  for  the  use  of  students 
in  the  advanced  classes  of  high  schools  and  colleges,  and 
is  designed  as  a  supplement  to  a  course  of  Rhetoric  and 
English  Literature.  Such  other  persons  as  are  led  by 
their  inclinations  to  spend  their  leisure  hours  in  the  read 
ing  of  the  English  poets,  or  in  wooing  the  Muses,  may 
receive  from  it  valuable  assistance. 

It  is  thought  to  supply  an  important  desideratum.  It 
is  a  matter  of  surprise  to  the  foreign  student,  who  attempts 
the  study  of  English  poetry  and  the  structure  of  its  verse, 
to  find  that  we  have  no  work  on  which  he  can  rely  as  au 
thority  on  this  subject.  In  the  other  modern  languages, 
the  most  learned  philologers  have  treated  of  the  subject  of 
versification,  in  all  its  parts.  In  English  alone,  in  a  lan 
guage  which  possesses  a  body  of  poetical  literature  more 
extensive,  as  well  as  more  valuable  than  any  other  modern 
language,  not  excepting  the  Italian,  the  student  has  no  rules 
to  guide  him,  but  a  few  meagre  and  incorrect  outlines 
appended  to  elementary  text-books.  We  must  except 
from  this  remark~two  works,  published  in  the  latter  part 


2  PREFACE. 

of  the  sixteenth  century.  But  as  they  were  written  be- 
fore  the  poetical  language  of  the  English  tongue  was  fixed, 
and  as  the  rules  of  verse  were  not  then  settled,  these 
works  can  be  of  little  practical  utility.  Hallam  mentions 
them  in  his  "  Introduction  to  the  Literature  of  Europe," 
and  we  will  give  his  criticism  of  them  in  his  own  words  : 
"  The  first  English  criticism,  properly  speaking,  that  I 
find,  is  a  short  tract  by  Gascoyne,  doubtless  the  poet  of 
that  name,  published  in  1575  :  «  Certain  Notes  of  Instruc 
tion  concerning  the  making  of  Verse  or  Rhyme  in  Eng 
lish.'  It  consists  only  of  ten  pages,  but  the  observations 
are  judicious.  Gascoyne  recommends  that  the  sentence 
should,  as  far  as  possible,  be  finished  at  the  close  of  two 
lines  in  the  couplet  measure.  Webbe,  author  of  a  '  Dis 
course  of  English  Poetry,'  (1586,)  is  copious  in  compari 
son  with  Gascoyne,  though  he  strelches  but  to  seventy 
pages.  His  taste  is  better  shown  in  his  praise  of  Spenser 
for  the  '  Shepherd's  Calendar,'  than  of  Gabriel  Harvey 
for  his  'Reformation  of  our  English  Verse  ;'  that  is,  by 
forcing  it  into  uncouth  Latin  measures,  which  Webbe  has 
himself  most  unhappily  attempted." 

Dr.  Carey  has  also  treated,  in  his  "  Art  of  Poetry,"  of 
some  parts  of  the  subject  of  versification,  but  not  with  that 
fulness  and  precision  which  entitle  it  to  the  appellation 
of  a  system. 

Dryden  once  formed  the  plan  of  writing  a  work  on 
this  subject,  but  was  induced  to  abandon  it  by  his  friend 
Sheffield,  Duke  of  Buckingham.  His  remarks  on  this 
subject  I  will  give  in  his  own  words,  as  expressed  in  the 


PREFACE.  3 

dedication  of  his  JEneid  :  "  I  have  long  had  by  me  the 
materials  of  an  '  English  Prosodia,'  containing  all  the  me 
chanical  rules  of  versification  ;  wherein  I  have  treated,  with 
some  exactness,  of  the  feet,  the  quantities,  and  the  pauses. 
*****  gutj  since  the  evil  of  false  quantities  is 
difficult  to  be  cured  in  any  modern  language  ;  since  the 
French  and  the  Italians,  as  well  as  we,  are  yet  ignorant 
what  feet  are  to  be  used  in  heroic  poetry  ;  since  I  have 
not  strictly  observed  those  rules  myself  which  I  can  teach 
others  ;  since  I  pretend  to  no  dictatorship  among  my  fel 
low-poets  :  since,  if  I  could  instruct  some  of  them  to  make 
well-running  verses,  they  want  genius  to  give  them 
strength  as  well  as  sweetness ;  and,  above  all,  since  your 
Lordship  has  advised  me  not  to  publish  that  little  which  I 
know,  I  look  on  your  counsel  as  your  command,  which  I 
shall  observe  inviolably,  till  you  shall  please  to  revoke  it, 
and  leave  me  at  liberty  to  make  my  thoughts  public."  It 
is  to  be  regretted  that  Dryden  ever  received  such  counsel 
from  his  noble  patron,  and  that,  having  received  it,  he 
yielded  his  own  better  judgment  to  that  of  his  friend. 
Had  the  materials  of  which  he  speaks  been  wrought  into 
an  "  English  Prosodia,"  that  work  could  have  left  little  to 
be  desired.  Unfortunately  for  us  those  materials  have 
never  been  made  public. 

Dr.  Johnson  has  made  many  valuable  remarks  on  the 
structure  of  our  verse,  in  the  Lives  of  the  English  Poets. 
Had  these  remarks  been  embodied  into  regular  form,  they 
would  have  furnished  valuable  materials  for  another 
'English  Prosodia.5  But  the  great  critic  never  contem- 


4  PREFACE. 

plated  such  a  work,  and  what  hints  he  has  thrown  out 
are  but  "  flowers  that  he  scattered  from  his  golden  urn," 
in  whatever  paths  of  literature  he  chanced  to  tread. 

Even  the  elegant  Blair  betrays  a  paucity  of  know 
ledge  on  this  subject,  entirely  disproportionate  to  his  exten 
sive  learning  in  other  branches  of  polite  literature.  And 
this  is  the  more  unaccountable,  that  his  lucid  remarks  on 
the  various  kinds  of  poetry,  as  well  as  his  judicious  criti 
cisms  of  the  great  poets,  both  ancient  and  modern,  show 
that  he  had  made  poetry  a  subject  of  special  study.  The 
ingenious  Lord  Kames  had  already  gone  farther,  and  his 
treatise  upon  the  csesural  pause  shows  that  he  had  not 
only  read  poetry  with  the  eye  of  a  philosopher,  but  that 
he  had  made  the  structure  of  English  verse  a  subject  of 
profound  reflection.  Had  he  written  a  complete  system  of 
English  versification,  the  following  work  would  not  have 
been  called  for ;  and  had  the  author  in  that  case  presumed 
to  follow  in  the  steps  of  so  distinguished  a  predecessor,  it 
must  have  been  said  of  him  sequilur  non  passibus  cequis. 
But  Kames  contented  himself  with  treating,  in  connection 
with  his  remarks  on  the  beauty  of  language,  one  part,  and 
that  by  no  means  the  most  important  part,  of  English  ver 
sification.  He  performed  the  task  which  he  had  assigned 
to  himself  in  a  masterly  manner,  and  thereby  made  the 
want  of  a  complete  treatise  the  more  sensible.  To  these 
guides  the  author  is  indebted  for  many  valuable  hints,  as 
will  be  seen  in  the  course  of  the  following  pages  ;  and  he 
is  not  aware  that  he  has,  in  any  instance,  borrowed  an 
idea  from  any  of  them  without  acknowledging  it  in  form, 


PREFACE.  O 

and  generally  citing  it  in  their  own  words.  He  mentions 
this,  that  it  may  not  be  supposed  that  this  work  is  a  com 
pilation.  It  will  be  seen  how  great  a  share  of  it  is  origi 
nal  ;  and  the  author,  having  deduced  his  rules  from  the 
usage  of  the  great  poets,  has  the  best  reason  for  being 
confident  of  their  correctness. 

The  ignorance  prevailing  on  this  subject,  even  among 
men  of  considerable  pretensions  to  critical  acumen,  is 
really  astonishing.  Men,  whose  critical  works  entitle 
them,  on  many  accounts,  to  respect,  betray  such  an  igno 
rance  of  the  first  principles  of  our  verse,  as  destroys  all 
confidence  in  the  value  of  their  opinions  on  the  merits  of 
poetical  writings,  in  all  cases  in  which  these  merits  de 
pend  upon  metrical  structure.  Hallam,  not  to  mention 
less  distinguished  examples,  has  even  spoken,  and  that  re 
peatedly,  in  his  History  of  Literature,  of  particular  lines 
containing  a  certain  number  of  syllables,  as  if  lines  were 
made  up  of  syllables  instead  of  feet.  It  is  due,  however, 
to  Mr.  Hallam,  to  say,  that  his  intimate  acquaintance  with 
English  Poetry,  and  his  judicious  remarks  upon  several 
parts  of  versification,  would  lead  us  to  suppose  that,  in 
treating  of  Metre,  he  speaks  of  syllables  instead  of  feet 
rather  from  habit  than  from  ignorance.  We  cannot,  how 
ever,  but  think  it  reprehensible  in  a  writer  of  his  accus 
tomed  accuracy  in  all  matters  of  fact,  to  give  his  sanction 
to  errors  which  had  their  origin  in  ignorance,  and  which 
can  be  perpetuated  only  by  misapprehension  or  negligence. 
Lord  Kames,  who,  as  has  been  remarked  above,  has  treated 
of  Pauses  philosophically  and  fully,  has  slurred  over  the 


6  PREFACE. 

subject  of  Quantity,  as  not  meriting  his  attention.  Not 
only  so,  but  he  has  given  several  examples  of  heroic  lines, 
in  which  the  Iambic  Measure  is  varied  by  secondary  feet, 
which  lines  he  pronounces  faulty,  because  they  are  not 
made  up  of  pure  Iambuses,  and  has,  thereby,  shown  an 
unpardonable  ignorance  of  the  first  principles  of  Quantity 
in  our  verse.  Even  Dr.  Johnson  speaks  of  syllables  in 
such  a  manner  as  would  lead  us  to  suppose  that  he  was  in 
the  same  error  as  Kames.  These  inaccuracies  can  be 
accounted  for  only  from  the  fact  that  Prosodians  have  not 
thought  Quantity  of  sufficient  importance  to  merit  their 
attention,  and  on  this  subject  have  copied  from  their  pre 
decessors  without  either  acknowledging  their  obligations 
for  what  was  correct,  or  altering  what  was  erroneous. 
Hence  it  is,  that  blunders  have  been  perpetuated  from  age 
to  age.  It  would  be  injustice  to  Sheridan*  not  to  except 
him  from  these  remarks.  He  has  especially  insisted  on 
the  subject  of  Quantity,  and  complains  that,  in  his  time, 
u  lines  were  denominated  verses  of  ten,  eight,  six,  or  four 
syllables."  "  Thus,"  he  adds,  "  have  we  lost  sight  of  the 
great  advantage  which  our  language  has  given  us  over 
the  French,  in  point  of  poetic  numbers,  by  its  being  capa 
ble  of  a  geometrical  proportion,  on  which  the  harmony  of 
versification  depends ;  and  blindly  reduced  ourselves  to 
that  of  the  arithmetical  kind,  which  contains  no  natural 
power  of  pleasing  the  ear."  Sheridan's  ideas  of  the 
Pauses  are  not  so  clear  as  those  of  Kames.  He  seems  not 

*  The  Lexicographer. 


PREFACE.  7 

to  have  consulted  Kames  on  that  subject.  It  is  painful  to 
the  Author  to  notice  errors  in  writers  who  have  done  so 
much,  in  their  respective  provinces,  to  extend  the  bounds 
of  philosophical  criticism  ;  especially,  as  he  acknowledges 
his  indebtedness  to  them  for  valuable  suggestions.  If  these 
writers  had  merely  neglected  most  branches  of  versifica 
tion  while  they  treated  one,  their  defects  would  not  have 
been  censurable  :  non  omnia  possumus  omnes.  But,  when 
they  give  us  false  notions  of  their  own,  or  propagate  such 
as  they  have  received  from  others,  it  is  proper  that  the 
erroneousness  of  these  notions  should  be  pointed  out,  lest 
they  should  be  finally  adopted  as  correct. 

But,  English  versification  has  suffered  more  from  neg 
lect,  than  from  the  false  principles  laid  down  by  those  who 
have  treated  of  it.  And  this  neglect  is,  without  doubt, 
owing,  in  part,  to  the  fact  that  our  verse  admits  of  a  greater 
variety  of  structure  than  that  of  any  other  Modern  Lan 
guage,  and  many  persons  have  thence  concluded  that  it  is 
subject  to  none  but  very  general  laws.  Now,  this  is 
a  capital  error.  The  laws  of  our  verse  are  just  as 
fixed,  arid  may  be  as  clearly  laid  down,  if  we  but  attend 
to  the  usage  of  the  great  Poets,  as  are  the  laws  of  our 
syntax.  Milton,  Pope,  Gray,  Rogers,  Campbell,  and 
many  others,  from  whom  examples  will  be  cited  in  the 
body  of  this  Work,  as  rarely  infringe  these  laws,  as  do 
Swift,  Shaftesbury,  Johnson,  Burke,  or  Paley,  transgress 
the  rules  of  syntax. 

Nor  are  the  laws  of  verse,  as  some  would  fain  persuade 
themselves  and  others,  arbitrary  rules.  With  as  much 


PREFACE. 

much  reason  might  it  be  said,  that  the  rules  laid  down  by 
Aristotle  for  the  conduct  of  the  Epic  Poem  and  the  Drama, 
are  arbitrary  rules  of  the  philosopher,  and  not  deductions 
of  the  critic.  He  drew  these  rules,  as  Dryden  has  justly 
remarked,  from  the  great  Models  before  him,  the  Iliad  and 
Odyssey  of  Homer,  and  the  Tragedies  of  ^Eschylus,  Eu 
ripides,  and  Sophocles.  All  rules  for  the  structure  of 
English  verse,  must  be  drawn  from  the  standard  Poets, 
not  be  laid  down  a  priori,  as  the  dicta  of  the  critic. 

But  it  may  be  asked,  how  so  many  have  been  able  to 
produce  Poems,  perfect,  in  respect  of  mechanical  struc 
ture,  without  the  rules  of  which  we  are  speaking.  How, 
for  example,  did  Milton  and  Pope,  the  former  in  blank 
verse,  and  the  latter  in  rhyme,  carry  English  poetry  to  a 
point  of  metrical  excellence,  which  it  has  since  attained 
in  scarce  a  single  instance  ?  The  answer  is  obvious. 
They  deduced  their  own  rules  from  the  reading  of  all  the 
great  Poets  that  had  gone  before  them,  and  perfected  these 
rules  by  a  more  critical  study  of  the  poetical  capacities  of 
our  language,  than  any  other  Poet  has  since  made.  It  is 
not  to  be  supposed  that  the  great  Masters,  either  in  verse 
or  in  prose,  refer,  for  their  rules,  to  text-books.  They  go 
to  the  source.  They  study  nature  as  represented  in  the 
works  of  the  great  Masters  who  have  preceded  them. 
The  prose  writers  of  Queen  Anne's  time  had  never  read 
Lowth,  Harris,  or  Home  Tooke,  and  yet  they  wrote  in 
a  style  more  purely  English,  and  more  elegant,  than  after 
generations  that  learned  syntax  of  these  philosophical 
Grammarians.  It  is  said  that  Madame  de  Sevigne  never 


PREFACE.  9 

studied  the  grammar  of  her  mother  tongue,  except  at  the 
Court  of  Louis  XIV.,  and  yet  she  not  only  surpassed,  in 
elegance  and  naivete,  all  that  had  gone  before  her  in  the 
epistolary  style,  but  also  wrote  the  French  Language  as 
idiomatically  as  any  professed  Authors,  not  excepting  La 
Fontaine  and  Moliere. 

From  these  remarks,  what  follows  ?  Evidently  this 
that  men  of  uncommon  genius  may  write,  in  verse  or  in 
prose,  without  the  aid  of  rules,  either  of  Versification,  Syn 
tax,  or  Rhetoric.  Many,  like  Monsieur  Jourdain  in  the 
Play,  may  have  spoken  prose  all  their  lives  without  know 
ing  what  prose  is,  but  we  should  not,  for  this  reason,  decry 
the  rules  of  Grammar  or  of  Rhetoric.  In  the  same  man 
ner  many  may  write  verse  without  knowing  the  rules  to 
which  it  is  subject ;  but  it  is  not  the  less  convenient  for 
most  persons  that  these  rules  should  be  clearly  defined. 
To  the  mass  of  persons  it  is  not  only  convenient,  but  ne 
cessary,  that  these  rules  should  be  methodically  arranged, 
and  illustrated  by  numerous  examples.  "  The  man," 
says  Campbell,*  "  who,  in  a  country  like  ours,  should  com 
pile  a  succinct,  perspicuous,  and  faithful  digest  of  the  laws, 
though  no  lawgiver,  would  be  universally  acknowledged 
to  be  a  public  benefactor.  How  easy  would  that  important 
branch  of  knowledge  be  rendered  by  such  a  work,  in  com 
parison  of  what  it  must  be,  when  we  have  nothing  to  have 
recourse  to  but  a  labyrinth  of  statutes,  reports,  and  opin 
ions.  That  man  also  would  be  of  considerable  use,  though 

*  Philosophy  of  Rhetoric,  Book  II.  ch.  2. 


10  PREFACE. 

not  in  the  same  degree,  who  should  vigilantly  attend  to 
every  illegal  practice  that  were  beginning  to  prevail,  and 
evince  its  danger,  by  exposing  its  contrariety  to  law.  Of 
similar  benefit,  though  in  a  different  sphere,  are  grammar 
and  criticism.  In  language,  the  grammarian  is  properly 
the  compiler  of  the  digest ;  and  the  verbal  critic,  the  man 
who  seasonably  notifies  the  abuses  that  are  creeping  in. 
Both  tend  to  facilitate  the  study  of  the  tongue  to  strangers, 
and  to  render  natives  more  perfect  in  the  knowledge  of  it, 
to  advance  general  use  into  universal,  and  to  give  a  greater 
stability  at  least,  if  not  a  permanency,  to  custom,  the  most 
mutable  thing  in  nature."  The  Author  has  attempted,  in 
the  following  work,  a  digest  of  the  laws  of  English  verse 
from  the  writings  of  the  standard  Poets,  and  has  ventured, 
in  several  instances,  to  point  out  abuses  that  have  crept  in, 
in  contempt  of  their  authority. 

Examples  have  been  drawn  from  the  writers  of  the 
latter  part  of  the  seventeenth,  the  whole  of  the  eighteenth, 
and  the  beginning  of  the  present  contury.  It  has  not  been 
thought  safe  to  rely,  in  doubtful  points,  on  authorities  prior 
to  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  as  usage  had  not 
yet  become  confirmed.  "Denham  and  Waller,"  says 
Prior,  "  improved  our  versification,  and  Dryden  perfected 
it."  Nor  has  it  been  thought  safe,  on  the  other  hand,  to 
place  great  reliance  on  the  Poets  of  the  present  century. 
Their  reputation  is  of  too  recent  origin  to  have  become 
established.  Rogers,  Campbell,  Coleridge,  Byron,  Crabbe, 
Moore,  and  some  others,  form  exceptions  to  this  remark. 
They  have  followed  Waller,  Milton,  Dryden,  and  Pope, 


PREFACE.  11 


in  the  structure  of  their  verse,  and  have  not,  like  many  of 
their  contemporaries,  thought  that  contempt  of  poetical 
laws  is  a  proof  of  poetical  inspiration.  How  many  of 
those  who  imagine  themselves  to  be  firmly  seated  upon 
Pegasus,  and  soaring  above  the  clouds,  are  labouring  under 
the  same  delusion  as  the  crazy  Knight  of  la  Mancha,  who, 
when  he  thought  himself  mounted,  with  his  trusty  squire 
upon  Clavileno,  and  coursing  through  the  fields  of  space 
among  the  heavenly  bodies,  was  seen  by  all  but  himself 
to  be  astride  a  wooden  horse  in  the  garden  of  his  hostess ! 
Among  the  examples  quoted,*  will  be  found  many  of 
the  choicest  morsels  in  our  language,  and  besides  being 
apt  illustrations  of  the  rules  which  they  exemplify,  they 
possess  an  intrinsic  merit  that  will  bespeak  for  them  the 
careful  attention  of  the  student. 


*  The  pieces  marked  "ORIGINAL,"  are   by  the  Author  of  the 
Treatise. 


ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 


TITLE  I. 

QUANTITY. 

VERSIFICATION  is  the  proper  arrangement  of  words  in 
a  line  according  to  their  quantity,  and  the  disposition  of 
these  lines  in  couplets,  stanzas,  or  in  blank  verse,  in  such 
order,  and  according  to  such  rules,  as  are  sanctioned  by 
usage. 

A  FOOT  is  a  combination  of  two  or  more  syllables, 
whether  long  or  short. 

A  LINE  is  one  foot,  or  more  than  one. 

The  QUANTITY  of  each  word  depends  on  its  accent. 
In  words  of  more  than  one  syllable  all  accented  syllables 
are  long,  and  all  unaccented  syllables  are  short.  Monosyl 
lables  are  long  or  short,  according  to  the  following  Rules  : 

1st.  All  Nouns,  Adjectives,  Verbs  and  Participles  are 
long. 

2nd.   The  Ai  tides  are  always  short. 

3rd.  The  Pronouns  are  long  or  short,  according  to  em 
phasis. 

4th.  Interjections  and  Adverbs  are  generally  long,  but 
sometimes  made  short  by  emphasis. 

5th.  Prepositions  and  Conjunctions  are  almost  always 
short,  but  sometimes  made  long  by  emphasis. 


14  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

The  long  syllable  requires  generally  twice  the  time  to 
pronounce  it  that  the  short  syllable  does.  There  are  in 
English  verse  eight  kinds  of  feet.  They  are  the  Iambus, 
the  Trochee,  the  Spondee,  the  Pyrrhic,  the  Anapest,  the 
Dactyle,  the  Amphibrach,  and  the  Tribrach.  Three  of 
these,  the  Iambus,  the  Trochee  and  the  Anapest,  are  called 
principal  feet,  because  lines  may  be  composed  entirely  of 
any  one  of  them  without  the  assistance  of  others.  The  re 
maining  five  are  called  secondary  feet,  because  they  are 
never  used  except  in  combination  with  the  principal  feet. 


CHAPTER  I. 

IAMBIC      MEASURES. 

§  1.    Quantity  of  the  Iambus. 

The  Iambus,  which  is  the  ground  of  English  num 
bers,  consists  of  two"vfeet,  the  first  short  and  the  last  long, 
as  behold,  expire,  alarms.  This  foot  is  found  in  every 
place  in  the  line,  as : 

Where  slaves  once  more  their  native  land  behold. 

We  shall  now  proceed  to  give  examples  of  the  various 
Iambic  measures,  laying  down  such  rules  as  are  founded 
upon  the  usage  of  the  best  Poets,  and  making  such  re 
marks  as  are  suggested  by  the  examples  given.  It  will 
be  seen  in  the  course  of  these  remarks,  that  we  shall  take 
occasion  to  insist  much  upon  the  adaptation  of  certain 
measures  to  certain  sentiments.  We  shall  do  this  be 
cause  it  is  a  point  that  has  hitherto  been  almost  entirely 
neglected. 

§  2.   The  Iambus  followed  by  a  short  syllable. 
The    first   and  shortest   Iambic   line    known    to    En 
glish  verse,  is  the  Iambus  with  an  additional  short  sylla- 


CHAP.  1.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  15 

ble.     This  corresponds  to  the  Amphibrach.     We  have  no 
example  of  an  entire  piece  written  in  this  measure,  but  it 
is  sometimes  found  intermingled  with  other  measures,  as : 
My  heart  in  my  bosom  a  bumping, 
Goes  thumping, 
And  jumping, 
And  thumping ; 
Is't  a  a  spectre  I  see  ? 
Hence,  vanish. — Ah  me  ! 
My  senses  deceive  me  ; 
Soon  reason  will  leave  me  ; 
What  a  wretch  am  I  destined  to  be ! 

The  Padlock,  Act  II.  Sc.  1. 

§  3.   The  line  of  two  Iambuses. 

The  second  species  of  the  Iambic  line  is  made  up 
of  two  Iambuses.  There  are  some  instances  of  entire  pieces 
written  in  this  measure,  but  these  are  extremely  rare.  It 
is  generally  introduced  among  longer  measures,  as  in  the 
following  examples : 

With  ravished  ears 
The  monarch  hears, 
Assumes  the  god, 
Affects  to  nod, 
And  seems  to  shake  the  spheres ! 

DRYDEN'S  Ode  on  St.  Cecilia's  Day. 
Again : 

Unheard,  unknown, 
He  makes  his  moan, 
And  calls  her  ghost, 
For  ever,  ever,  ever,  lost ! 

POPE'S  Ode  on  St.  Cecilia's  Day. 
Again  : 

To  me  the  rose 
No  longer  glows, 
Every  plant 
Has  lost  its  scent. 

ADDISON'S  Rosamond,  Act  I.  Sc.  4. 


16  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

Dr.  YOUNG'S  Ocean  is  written  chiefly  in  this  measure : 
as  it  possesses  a  good  deal  of  spirit,  we  shall  give  several 

stanzas  of  it. 

Where,  where  are  they 

Whom  Paean's  ray 
Has  touched,  and  bid  divinely  rave  1 — 

What !  none  aspire  1 

I  snatch  the  lyre, 
And  plunge  into  the  foaming  wave. 

The  wave  resounds ! 

The  rock  rebounds ! 
The  Nereids  to  my  song  reply! 

I  lead  the  choir, 

And  they  conspire, 
With  voice  and  shell,  to  lift  it  high. 

They  spread  in  air 

Their  bosoms  fair, 
Their  verdant  tresses  pour  behind  ; 

The  billows  beat 

With  nimble  feet, 
With  notes  triumphant  swell  the  wind. 

Who  love  the  shore, 

Let  those  adore 
The  god  Apollo,  and  his  nine, 

Parnassus'  hill, 

And  Orpheus'  skill, 
But  let  Arion's  harp  be  mine. 

The  main  !  the  main  ! 

Is  Britain's  reign ; 
Her  strength,  her  glory,  is  her  fleet : 

The  main  !  the  main  ! 

Be  Britain's  strain  ; 
As  Triton's  strong,  as  Siren's  sweet. 
#  *  *  *  * 

When  rushes  forth 

The  frowning  North 
On  blackening  billows,  with  what  dread 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  17 

My  shuddering  soul 
Beholds  them  roll, 
And  hears  their  roarings  o'er  my  head  ! 

With  terror  mark 

Yon  flying  bark  ! 
Now  centre-deep  descend  the  brave  ; 

Now  tossed  on  high, 

It  takes  the  sky, 
A  feather  on  the  towering  wave ! 

Now  spins  around 

In  whirls  profound : 
Now  whelmed,  now  pendent  near  the  clouds ; 

Now  stunned,  it  reels 

Midst  thunder's  peals, 
And  now  fierce  lightning  fires  the  shrouds. 

All  ether  burns, 

Chaos  returns ! 
And  blends,  once  more,  the  seas  and  skies ; 

No  space  between 

Thy  bosom  green, 
O  Deep  !  and  the  blue  concave  lies. 

The  northern  blast, 

The  shattered  mast, 
The  syrt,  the  whirlpool,  and  the  rock, 

The  breaking  spout, 

The  stars  gone  out, 
The  boiling  streight,  the  monster  shock. 

Let  others  fear ; 

To  Britain  dear 
Whate'er  promotes  her  daring  claim  ; 

Those  terrors  charm 

Which  keep  her  warm 
[  In  chase  of  honest  gain  or  fame. 

The  stars  are  bright 

To  cheer  the  night, 
And  shed,  through  shadows,  tempered  fire  ; 

And  Phoebus  flames, 

With  burnished  beams, 
Which  some  adore,  and  all  admire. 


18  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

Are  then  the  seas 

Outshone  by  these  1 
Bright  Thetis !  thou  art  not  outshone  : 

With  kinder  beams, 

And  softer  gleams, 
Thy  bosom  wears  them  as  thy  own. 

There,  set  in  green, 

Gold  stars  are  seen, 
A  mantle  rich,  thy  charms  to  wrap : 

And  when  the  sun 

His  race  has  run, 
He  falls  enamoured  in  thy  lap. 

Those  clouds,  whose  dyes 
Adorn  the  skies, 

That  silver  snow,  that  pearly  rain, 
Has  Phoebus  stole, 
To  grace  the  pole, 
The  plunder  of  the  invaded  main  ! 

The  gaudy  bow, 

Whose  colours  glow, 
Whose  arch  with  so  much  skill  is  bent 

To  Phoebus'  ray, 

Which  paints  so  gay, 
By  thee  the  watery  woof  was  lent. 


§  4.   The  line  of  two  Iambuses  followed  by  a  short  syllable. 

The  third  species  of  Iambic  line  is  made  up  of 
two  Iambuses  and  an  additional  short  syllable.  There  is 
no  example  of  an  entire  piece  in  this  measure,  but  it  is 
frequently  used  intermingled  with  other  measures  as  in 
the  following : 

When  we  two  parted 

In  silence  and  tears, 
Half  broken  hearted 
To  sever  for  years. 

BYRON'S  Poems. 


U  N  I  V  E 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC  MEASURES.  19 

It  will  be  observed  that  in  this  example  the  first  line 
and  the  third  are  in  the  above  measure,  and  the  second 
and  the  fourth  are  composed  of  an  Iambus  and  an  Ana- 
pest. 

Again  : 

Could  Love  for  ever 
Run  like  a  river, 
And  Time's  endeavour 
'  Be  tried  in  vain  — 
No  other  pleasure 
With  this  could  measure  ; 
And  like  a  treasure 
-"We'd  hug  the  chain. 
But  since  our  sighing 
Ends  not  in  dying, 
And,  formed  for  flying, 
f  Love  plumes  his  wing  ; 
Then  for  this  reason 
Let's  love  a  season, 
But  let  that  season  be  only  Spring. 

BYRON'S  Poems. 

In  this  example  every  fourth  line  is  composed  of  two 
Iambuses,  and  all  the  others  are  in  the  same  measure  as 
the  first  line  of  the  preceding  example. 

§  5.   The  line  of  three  Iambuses. 

The  fourth  species  of  the  Iambic  line  is  made  up  of 
three  Iambuses  and  is  of  very  frequent  occurrence.  Not 
only  are  there  many  pieces  written  in  this  measure  com 
bined  with  the  line  of  four  Iambuses,  but  there  are  not  a 
few  written  exclusively  in  this  measure.  Of  this  line 
alternating  with  other  measures  take  the  following  : 

Ye  flowery  banks  o'  bonnie  Doon, 

How  can  ye  blume  sae  fair, 
How  can  ye  chant,  ye  little  birds, 

And  I  sae  fu'  o'  care  ! 

BURNS'  Songs. 


20  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

Again : 

The  noon  was  shady,  and  soft  airs] 

Swept  Ouse's  silent  tide, 
When,  'scaped  from  literary  cares, 
I  wandered  on  his  side. 

COWPER'S  Poems. 
Again  : 

Alas  !  the  joys  that  fortune  brings, 

Are  trifling,  and  decay ; 
And  those  who  prize  the  paltry  things, 
More  trifling  still  than  they. 

w  GOLDSMITH'S  Hermit. 

Friend,  for  your  epitaphs  I'm  grieved, 

Where  still  so  much  is  said  ; 
One  half  will  never  be  believed, 
The  other  never  read. 

POPE'S  Epigrams. 
Again : 

Lo  !  where  the  rosy-bosomed  hours, 

Fair  Venus'  train,  appear, 
Disclose  the  long-expecting  flowers, 

And  wake  the  purple  year  ; 
The  attic  warbler  pours  her  throat 
Responsive  to  the  cuckoo's  note,  ] 

The  untaught  harmony  of  spring, 
While,  whispering  pleasure  as  they  fly, 
Cool  zephyrs  through  the  clear  blue  sky 
Their  gathered  fragrance  fling. 

Where'er  the  oak's  thick  branches  stretch 

A  broader,  browner  shade, 
Where'er  the  rude  and  moss-grown  beech 

O'er-cancpies  the  glade. 
Beside  some  water's  rushy  brink 
With  me  the  Muse  shall  sit,  and  think 

(At  ease  reclined  in  rustic  state) 
How  vain  the  ardour  of  the  crowd, 
How  low,  how  little,  are  the  proud, 

How  indigent  the  great. 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  '^1 

Still  is  the  toiling  hand  of  Care, 

The  panting  herds  repose, 
Yet  hark  !  how  through  the  peopled  air, 

The  busy  murmur  glows  ! 
The  insect  youth  are  on  the  wing, 
Eager  to  taste  the  honeyed  spring, 

And  float  amid  the  liquid  noon  ; 
Some  lightly  o'er  the  current  skim, 
Some  show  their  gayly-gilded  trim, 

Quick-glancing  to  the  sun. 

To  contemplation's  sober  eye, 

Such  is  the  race  of  man, 
And  they  that  creep  and  they  that  fly 

Shall  end  where  they  began. 
Alike  the  busy  and  the  gay 
But  flutter  through  life's  little  day, 

In  fortune's  varying  colours  drest ; 
Brushed  by  the  hand  of  rough  Mischance, 
Or  chilled  by  Age,  their  airy  dance 

They  leave,  in  dust  to  rest. 

Methinks  I  hear,  in  accents  low, 

The  sportive  kind  reply, 
Poor  moralist !  and  what  art  thou  ? 

A  solitary  fly  ! 

Thy  joys  no  glittering  female  meets, 
No  hive  hast  thou  of  hoarded  sweets, 

No  painted  plumage  to  display  ; 
On  hasty  wings  thy  youth  is  flown, 
Thy  sun  is  set,  thy  spring  is  gone — 

We  frolic  while  'tis  May. 

GRAY'S  Ode  to  Spring. 

In  the  following  example  the  lines  are  all  in  the  above 
measure  : 

The  king  was  on  his  throne, 

The  satraps  thronged  the  hall ; 
A  thousand  bright  lamps  shone 
O'er  that  high  festival. 
2* 


22  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

A  thousand  cups  of  gold, 

In  Judah  deemed  divine — 
Jehovah's  vessels  hold 

The  godless  Heathen's  wine  ! 

In  that  same  hour  and  hall, 

The  fingers  of  a  hand 
Came  forth  against  the  wall, 

And  wrote  as  if  on  sand  : 
The  fingers  of  a  man  ; — 

A  solitary  hand 
Along  the  letters  ran, 

And  traced  them  like  a  wand. 

BYRON'S  Vision  of  Belshazzar. 

§  6.   The  line  of  three  Iambuses  followed  by  a  short  syllable. 

The  fifth  species  of  the  Iambic  line  is  made  up  of 
three  Iambuses  and  an  additional  short  syllable.  It  is 
rarely,  if  ever,  used  except  as  alternating  with  other 
measures  ;  generally  with  lines  of  three  or  four  Iambuses. 
The  additional  short  syllable  imparts  a  life  and  sprightli- 
ness  to  this  measure  that  is  surpassingly  beautiful.  In 
the  following  example  it  alternates  with  the  line  of  three 
Iambuses : 

V.    /  -/ 

Now  slain  is  king  Amulius, 

Of  the  great  Sylvian  line, 
Who  reigned  in  Alba  Longa, 

On  the  throne  of  Aventine. 
Slain  is  the  Pontiff  Gamers, 

Who  spake  the  words  of  doom  : 
"  The  children  to  the  Tiber, 

The  mother  to  the  tomb." 

In  Alba's  lake  no  fisher 

His  net  to-day  is  Hinging  : 
On  the  dark  rind  of  Alba's  oaks 

To-day  no  axe  is  ringing : 


IAMBIC    MEASURES.  23 

The  yoke  hangs  o'er  the  manger  : 

The  scythe  lies  in  the  hay  : 
Through  all  the  Alban  villages 

No  work  is  done  to-day. 

And  every  Alban  burgher 

Hath  donned  his  whitest  gown  ; 
And  every  head  in  Alba  { 

Weareth  a  poplar  crown  ; 
And  every  Alban  door-post 

With  boughs  and  flowers  is  gay  ; 
For  to-day  the  dead  are  living  ; 

The  lost  are  found  to-day. 


The  troubled  river  knew  them, 

And  smoothed  his  yellow  foam, 
And  gently  rocked  the  cradle 

That  bore  the  fate  of  Rome. 
The  ravening  she- wolf  knew  them, 

And  licked  them  o'er  and  o'er, 
And  gave  them  of  her  own  fierce  milk, 

Rich  with  raw  flesh  and  gore. 
Twenty  winters,  twenty  springs, 

Since  then  have  rolled  away  ; 
And  to-day  the  dead  are  living, 

The  lost  are  found  to-day. 

Blithe  it  was  to  see  the  twins, 

Right  goodly  youths  and  tall, 
Marching  from  Alba  Longa 

To  their  old  grandsire's  hall. 
Along  their  path  fresh  garlands 

Are  hung  from  tree  to  tree  : 
Before  them  stride  the  pipers, 

Piping  a  note  of  glee. 

On  the  right  goes  Romulus, 
With  arms  to  the  elbows  red, 

And  in  his  hand  a  broadsword, 
And  on  the  blade  a  head — 


QUANTITY.  [TJT<  J( 

A  head  in  an  iron  helmet, 

With  horse  hair  hanging  down, 
A  shaggy  head,  a  swarthy  head, 

Fixed  in  a  ghastly  frown — 
The  head  of  King  Amulius 

Of  the  great  Sylvian  line, 
Who  reigned  in  Alba  Longa, 

On  the  throne  of  Aventine. 

On  the  left  side  goes  Remus, 

With  wrists  and  fingers  red, 
And  in  his  hand  a  boar-spear, 

And  on  the  point  a  head — 
A  wrinkled  head  and  aged, 

With  silver  beard  and  hair, 
And  holy  fillets  round  it, 

Such  as  the  pontiffs  wear — 
The  head  of  ancient  Gamers, 

Who  spake  the  words  of  doom  : 
"  The  children  to  the  Tiber, 
The  mother  to  the  tomb." 

MACAULAY—  The  Prophecy  of  Capys. 

This  line  sometimes  alternates  with  lines  of  four  lam- 
buses,  and  when  it  does  so  it  always  has  a  happy  effect, 
as  the  following  examples  will  show  : 

Sweet  fa's  the  eve  on  Cragie-burn, 

And  blithe  awakes  the  morrow, 
But  a'  the  pride  o'  spring's  return 

Can  yield  me  nocht  but  sorrow. 

I  see  the  flowers  and  spreading  trees, 

I  hear  the  wild  birds  singing ; 
But  what  a  weary  wight  can  please, 

And  care  his  bosom  wringing  1 

Fain,  fain  would  I  my  griefs  impart, 

Yet  dare  na  for  your  anger  ; 
But  secret  love  will  break  my  heart, 

If  I  conceal  it  langer. 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC   MEASURES.  25 

If  thou  refuse  to  pity  me, 

If  thou  shall  love  anither, 
When  yon  green  leaves  fade  frae  the  tree, 

Around  my  grave  they'll  wither. 

BURNS'  Songs. 
Again  : 

Yon  roaring  boys,  who  rave  and  fight 

On  t'other  side  th'  Atlantic, 
I  always  held  them  in  the  right, 

But  most  so  when  most  frantic. 


Such  civil  broils  are  my  delight, 

Though  some  folks  can't  endure  them, 

Who  say  the  mob  are  mad  outright, 
And  that  a  rope  must  cure  them. 

A  rope  !  I  wish  we  patriots  had 

Such  strings  for  all  who  need  'em — 
What !  hang  a  man  for  going  mad  ! 
Then  farewell  British  freedom. 

COWPER — The  Modern  Patriot. 
Again : 

Misses !  the  tale  that  I  relate 

This  lesson  seems  to  carry — 
Choose  not  alone  a  proper  mate, 
But  proper  time,  to  marry. 

COWPER — Pairing  Time  Anticipated. 

§  7.   The  line  of  four  Iambuses. 

The  sixth  species  of  the  Iambic  line  is  made  up 
of  four  Iambuses,  and  is  frequently  called  the  octo-sylla- 
bic  measure.  It  is  a  favourite  measure  with  the  English 
Poets,  and  may  be  employed  to  great  advantage  through 
out  an  entire  poem,  as  in  BYRON'S  Mazeppa,  SCOTT'S 
Lady  of  the  Lake,  and  BUTLER'S  Hudibras,  or,  it  may 
alternate  with  the  line  of  three  feet,  as  in  the  examples 
given  in  illustration  of  the  fourth  species  of  Iambus. 
GRAY'S  Ode  to  Adversity  furnishes  an  example  of  its  use 
in  connection  with  the  Alexandrine,  and  this  forms  a  noble 
stanza. 


26  QUANTITY.  [TIT. 

Daughter  of  Jove,  relentless  power, 

Thou  tamer  of  the  human  breast, 
Whose  iron  scourge  and  torturing  hour, 

The  bad  affright,  afflict  the  best ! 
Bound  in  thy  adamantine  chain, 
The  proud  are  taught  to  taste  of  pain, 
And  purple  tyrants  vainly  groan 
With  pangs  unfelt  before,  unpitied  and  alone. 

When  first  thy  sire  to  send  on  earth 

Virtue,  his  darling  child,  designed, 
To  thee  he  gave  the  heavenly  birth, 

And  bade  to  form  her  infant  mind  ; 
Stern  rugged  nurse  !  thy  rigid  lore, 
With  patience  many  a  year  she  bore  : 
What  sorrow  was  thou  bad'st  her  know, 
And  from  her  own  she  learned  to  melt  at  others'  wo. 

Scared  at  thy  frown  terrific  fly 

Self-pleasing  Folly's  idle  brood, 
Wild  laughter,  noise  and  thoughtless  joy, 

And  leave  us  leisure  to  be  good. 
Light  they  disperse  ;  and  with  them  go 
The  summer  friend,  the  flattering  foe  ; 
By  vain  Prosperity  received, 
To  her  they  vow  their  truth,  and  are  again  believed. 

Wisdom,  in  sable  garb  arrayed, 

Immersed  in  rapturous  thought  profound, 

And  Melancholy,  silent  maid, 

With  leaden  eye  that  loves  the  ground, 

Still  on  thy  solemn  steps  attend ; 

Warm  Charity,  the  general  friend, 

With  Justice  to  herself  severe, 

And  Pity,  dropping  soft  the  sadly-pleasing  tear. 

Oh !  gently  on  thy  suppliant's  head, 

Dread  Goddess !  lay  thy  chastening  hand, 
Not  in  thy  Gorgon  terrors  clad, 
Nor  circled  with  the  vengeful  band  ; 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  27 

(As  by  the  impious  thou  art  seen,) 
With  thundering  voice  and  threatening  mien, 
With  screaming  Horror's  funeral  cry, 
Despair,  and  fell  Disease,  and  ghastly  Poverty. 

Thy  form  benign,  0  Goddess !  wear, 

Thy  milder  influence  impart, 
Thy  philosophic  train  be  there, 

To  soften,  not  to  wound  my  heart : 
The  generous  spark  extinct  revive  ; 
Teach  me  to  love  and  to  forgive  ; 
Exact  my  own  defects  to  scan, 
What  others'  are  to  feel,  and  know  myself  a  man. 

A  favourite  stanza  of  the  earlier  Scottish  Poets,  was 
made  up  of  six  lines,  four  being  octo-syllabic  lines,  and 
two  being  composed  of  two  Iambuses.  This  stanza  has 
become  unfashionable,  but  from  the  examples  we  have  of 
it,  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  this  stanza  has  not  been  re 
tained.  Numerous  examples  occur  in  Burns,  with  whom 
this  was  a  favourite  measure.  That  it  is  equally  adapted 
to  the  pathetic  and  the  humorous,  the  following  exam- 
pies  will  show : 

Thy  wee  bit  housie,  too,  in  ruin, 
Its  silly  wa's  the  win's  are  strewin  ! 
An'  naething,  now,  to  big  a  new  ane, 

O'  foggage  green  ! 
An'  bleak  December's  winds  ensuin, 

Baith  snell  and  keen  ! 

Thou  saw  the  fields  laid  bare  an'  waste, 
An'  weary  winter  comin  fast, 
An'  cozie  here,  beneath  the  blast, 

Thou  thought  to  dwell, 
Till  crash !  the  cruel  coulter  past 

Out  thro'  thy  cell. 

That  wee  bit  heap  o'  leaves  an'  stibble, 
Has  cost  thee  many  a  weary  nibble  ! 


28  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

Now  thou's  turned  out,  for  a'  thy  trouble, 
But  house  or  hald, 

To  thole  the  winter's  sleety  dribble, 

An'  cranreuch  cauld ! 

But,  Mousie,  thou  art  no  thy  lane, 
In  proving  foresight  may  be  vain : 
The  best  laid  schemes  o'  mice  an'  me/?, 

Gang  aft  a-gley, 
An'  lea'e  us  nought  but  grief  an'  pain, 

For  promised  joy. 

Still  thou  art  blessed,  compared  wi'  me ! 
The  present  only  toucheth  thee  : 
But,  Och  !  I  backward  cast  my  e'e, 

On  prospects  drear, 
An'  forward,  tho'  I  canna  see, 

I  guess  an'  fear, 

BURNS'  Poems. — To  a  Mouse. 

This  morsel  is  truly  pathetic,  nor  is  it  easy  to  conceive 
of  a  form  of  stanza  better  adapted  to  the  sentiment  than 
this.  The  four  long  lines  rhyming  with  each  other  would 
produce  monotony  if  alone,  but  being  relieved  by  the  two 
short  lines,  the  effect  is  remarkably  happy.  That  this 
stanza  is  equally  consistent  with  humour,  is  proved  by 
many  of  Burns'  most  humorous  effusions.  Among  others 
we  will  select  the  following : 

Of  a5  the  thoughtless  sons  o'  man, 
Commen'  me  to  the  Bardie  clan  ; 
Except  it  be  some  idle  plan 

0'  rhymin'  clink. 
The  devil-haet,  that  I  sud  ban, 

They  ever  think. 

Nae  thought,  nae  view,  nae  scheme  o'  livin', 
Nae  cares  to  give  us  joy  or  grievin' : 
But  just  the  pouchie  put  the  nieve  in, 

An'  while  aught's  there, 
Then,  hiltie,  skiltie,  we  gae  scrievin', 

An'  fash  nae  mair. 


CHAP.  1.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES. 

Leeze  me  on  rhyme  !  it's  aye  a  treasure, 
My  chief,  amaist  my  only  pleasure, 
At  hame,  a-fiel',  at  wark  or  leisure, 

The  Muse,  poor  hizzie  ! 
Tho'  rough  an'  raplock  be  her  measure, 

She's  seldom  lazy. 

BURNS'  second  Epistle  to  Davie. 

We  have  remarked  above,  that  this  stanza  seems  to  be 
going  out  of  fashion.  Campbell,  however,  has  written  a 
piece  of  great  merit  in  this  measure.  A  few  stanzas  must 
suffice : 

What  hallows  ground  where  heroes  sleep? 
'Tis  not  the  sculptured  piles  you  heap ! 
In  dews  that  heavens  far  distant  weep 

Their  turf  may  bloom  ; 
Or  Genii  twine  beneath  the  deep 

Their  coral  tomb. 

But  strew  his  ashes  to  the  wind 

Whose  sword  or  voice  has  served  mankind — 

And  is  he  dead  whose  glorious  mind 

Lifts  thine  on  high  1 
To  live  in  hearts  we  leave  behind 

Is  not  to  die. 

Is't  death  to  fall  for  Freedom's  right? 
He's  dead  alone  that  lacks  her  light ! 
And  murder  sullies  in  Heaven's  sight 

The  sword  he  draws : — 
What  can  alone  ennoble  fight  ? 

A  noble  cause. 

Give  that !  and  welcome  War  to  brace 

Her  drums !  and  rend  Heaven's  reeking  space ! 

The  colours  planted  face  to  face, 

The  charging  cheer, 
Though  Death's  pale  horse  lead  on  the  chase, 

Shall  still  be  dear. 


30  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  j. 

And  place  our  trophies  where  men  kneel 
To  Heaven  ! — but  Heaven  rebukes  my  zeal ! 
The  cause  of  truth  and  human  weal, 

O  God  above ! 
Transfer  it  from  the  sword's  appeal 

To  Peace  and  Love. 

Another  species  of  the  octo-syllabic  stanza  is  com- 
posed  of  three  lines  all  rhyming,  and  a  fourth  either 
of  a  less  number  of  feet  or  of  the  same  number.  In 
this  measure  the  fourth  line  of  the  several  stanzas, 
is  generally  a  repetition,  in  whole  or  in  part,  and  it 
forms  a  kind  of  refrain  which  is  very  agreeable.  Of 
this  measure  Mrs.  BARBAULD'S  Thought  on  Death  is  an 
example,  as  admirable  for  the  truth  and  sublimity  of  the 
sentiments  as  for  the  melody  of  the  verse : 

When  life  as  opening  buds  is  sweet, 
And  golden  hopes  the  spirit  greet, 
And  youth  prepares  his  joys  to  meet, 

Alas  !  how  hard  it  is  to  die  ! 

When  scarce  is  seized  some  valued  prize, 
And  duties  press,  and  tender  ties 
Forbid  the  soul  from  earth  to  rise, 

How  awful  then  it  is  to  die  ! 
When,  one  by  one,  those  ties  are  torn, 
And  friend  from  friend  is  snatched  forlorn, 
And  man  is  left  alone  to  mourn, 

Ah  !  then,  how  easy  'tis  to  die. 
When  trembling  limbs  refuse  their  weight, 
And  films,  slow-gathering,  dim  the  sight, 
And  clouds  obscure  the  mental  light, 

'Tis  nature's  precious  boon  to  die  ! 

When  faith  is  strong,  and  conscience  clear, 
And  words  of  peace  the  spirit  cheer, 
And  visioned  glories  half  appear, 

'Tis  joy,  'tis  triumph,  then  to  die  ! 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  31 

The  translation  of  the  Dies  Ira,  by  DILLON,  Earl  of 
Roscommon,  is  in  triplets  of  the  line  of  four  Iambuses. 
As  this  piece,  besides  being  in  a  measure  that  is  very  un 
common,  possesses  great  poetical  merit,  we  shall  give  it 
entire. 

The  day  of  wrath,  that  dreadful  day, 
Shall  the  whole  world  in  ashes  lay, 
As  David  and  the  Sibyls  say. 

What  horror  will  invade  the  mind, 

When  the  strict  Judge,  who  would  be  kind, 

Shall  have  few  venial  faults  to  find  ! 

The  last  loud  trumpet's  wondrous  sound, 
Must  through  the  rending  tombs  rebound, 
And  wake  the  nations  under  ground. 

Nature  and  death  shall,  with  surprise, 

Behold  the  pale  offender  rise, 

And  view  the  Judge  with  conscious  eyes. 

Then  shall,  with  universal  dread, 
The  sacred  mystic  book  be  read, 
To  try  the  living  and  the  dead. 

The  Judge  ascends  his  awful  throne  : 
He  makes  each  secret  sin  be  known, 
And  all  with  shame  confess  their  own. 

O  then !  what  interest  shall  I  make, 

To  save  my  last  important  stake, 

When  the  most  just  have  cause  to  quake  1 

Thou  mighty  formidable  King ! 
Thou  mercy's  unexhausted  spring  ! 
Some  comfortable  pity  bring. 

Forget  not  what  my  ransom  cost, 
Nor  let  my  dear-bought  soul  be  lost, 
In  storms  of  guilty  terror  toss'd. 


3^  QUANTITY.  [TIT. 

Thou,  who  for  me  didst  feel  such  pain, 
Whose  precious  blood  the  cross  did  stain  ; 
Let  not  those  agonies  be  vain. 

Thou,  whom  avenging  powers  obey, 
Cancel  my  debt  (too  great  to  pay) 
Before  the  sad  accounting  day. 

Surrounded  with  amazing  fears, 
Whose  load  my  soul  with  anguish  bears, 
I  sigh,  I  weep  :  accept  my  tears. 

Thou,  who  wast  moved  with  Mary's  grief, 
And,  by  absolving  of  the  thief, 
Hast  given  me  hope,  now  give  relief. 

Reject  not  my  unworthy  prayer, 
Preserve  me  from  the  dangerous  snare, 
Which  death  and  gaping  hell  prepare. 

Give  my  exalted  soul  a  place 
Among  the  chosen  right-hand  race, 
The  sons  of  God,  and  heirs  of  grace. 

From  that  insatiate  abyss, 

Where  flames  devour  and  serpents  hiss, 

Promote  me  to  thy  seat  of  bliss. 

Prostrate,  my  contrite  heart  I  rend, 
My  God,  my  Father,  and  my  Friend  ! 
Do  not  forsake  me  in  the  end. 

Well  may  they  curse  their  second  birth, 
Who  rise  to  a  surviving  death. 
Thou  great  Creator  of  mankind, 
Let  guilty  man  compassion  find. 

In  the  following  sweet  morsel  the  triplet,  succeeded  by 
a  line  made  up  of  two  Iambuses  and  an  Amphibrach,  is 
made  to  express  in  a  most  tender  and  delicate  manner  the 
passion  of  love : 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES. 

WILLY. — O  Philly,  happy  be  that  day 

When  roving  through  the  gathered  hay 
My  youthfu'  heart  was  stown  away, 
And  by  thy  charms,  my  Philly. 

PHILLY.— 0  Willy,  ay  I  bless  the  grove 

Where  first  I  owned  my  maiden  love, 
Whilst  thou  did  pledge  the  Powers  above 
To  be  my  ain  dear  Willy. 

\yIL> — As  songsters  of  the  early  year 

Are  ilka  day  mair  sweet  to  hear, 
So  ilka  day  to  me  mair  dear 

And  charming  is  my  Philly. 

PHIL. — As  on  the  brier  the  budding  rose 

Still  richer  breathes,  and  fairer  blows, 
So  in  my  tender  bosom  grows 

The  love  I  bear  my  Willy. 

WIL. — The  milder  sun  and  bluer  sky, 

That  crown  my  harvest  cares  wi'  joy, 
Were  ne'er  sae  welcome  to  my  eye 
As  is  a  sight  o'  Philly. 

PHIL.— The  little  swallow's  wanton  wing, 

Tho'  wafting  o'er  the  flowery  spring, 
Did  ne'er  to  me  sic  tidings  bring, 
As  meeting  o'  my  Willy. 

WIL.— The  bee  that  thro'  the  sunny  hour 
Sips  nectar  in  the  opening  flower, 
Compared  wi'  my  delight  is  poor, 
Upon  the  lips  o'  Philly. 

PHIL. — The  woodbine  in  the  dewy  weet, 

When  evening  shades  in  silence  meet, 
Is  nocht  sae  fragrant  or  sae  sweet 
As  is  a  kiss  o'  Willy. 

. Let  Fortune's  wheel  at  random  rin, 

And  fools  may  tine,  and  knaves  may  win  ; 
My  thoughts  are  a'  bound  up  in  ane, 
And  that's  my  ain  dear  Philly. 


QUANTITY.  [TIT>  j. 

PHIL. — What's  a'  the  joys  that  gowd  can  gie  ! 
I  care  nae  wealth  a  single  flie  ; 
The  lad  I  love's  the  lad  for  me, 

And  that's  my  ain  dear  Willy. 

BURNS. — A  Duet. 

To  attempt  to  give  an  example  of  all  the  varieties 
of  stanza  composed  of  this  line  would  be  an  endless  task. 
The  above  are  sufficient  to  show  its  capabilities.  The 
great  number  of  poems  in  this  measure,  when  it  is  em- 
ployed  in  consecutive  verse,  renders  it  unnecessary  to 
give  many  examples.  It  has  generally  an  animated 
effect,  and  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  description.  The  fol 
lowing  will  suffice : 

The  hunter  marked  that  mountain  high, 
The  lone  lake's  western  boundary, 
And  deemed  the  stag  must  turn  to  bay, 
Where  that  huge  rampart  barred  the  way ; 
Already  glorying  in  the  prize, 
Measured  his  antlers  with  his  eyes ; 

For  the  death-wound,  and  death-halloo, 

Mustered  his  breath,  his  whinyard  drew ; 

But  thundering  as  he  came  prepared, 

With  ready  arm  and  weapon  bared, 

The  wily  quarry  shunned  the  shock, 

And  turned  him  from  the  opposing  rock  ; 

Then  dashing  down  a  darksome  glen, 

Soon  lost  to  hound  and  hunter's  ken, 

In  the  deep  Trossach's  wildest  nook 

His  solitary  refuge  took. 

There,  while  close  couched,  the  thicket  shed 

Cold  dews  and  wild  flowers  on  his  head, 

He  heard  the  baffled  dogs  in  vain 

Rave  through  the  hollow  pass  amain, 
Chiding  the  rocks  that  yelled  again. 

SCOTT'S  Lady  of  the  Lake. 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  35 

§  8.  The  line  of  four  Iambuses  followed  by  a  short  syllable. 

The  seventh  species  of  Iambic  measure  is  made  up 
of  four  Iambuses  and  an  additional  short  syllable.  It  is 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  familiar  style,  and  to  the  bur 
lesque.  'The  beginning  of  Canto  I.  of  BUTLER'S  Hudibras, 
from  the  7th  line  to  the  17th,  is  a  fine  specimen  of  this 
measure.  It  adds  much  to  the  burlesque  effect  of  one  of 
the  most  celebrated  mock-heroic  poems  of  modern  times. 
The  Canto  begins  with  the  line  of  four  Iambuses,  which 
is  succeeded  by  this  line  with  a  short  syllable  added,  as 

follows : 

^—)v~  \ 

When  gospel-trumpeter,  surrounded 
With  long-eared  rout,  to  battle  sounded, 
And  pulpit,  drum  ecclesiastick, 
Was  beat  with  fist  instead  of  a  stick  ; 
Then  did  Sir  Knight  abandon  dwelling, 
And  out  he  rode  a  colonelling. 
A  wight  he  was  whose  very  sight  would 
Entitle  him  Mirror  of  Knighthood. 

In  the  following  examples  this  line  alternates  very 
happily  with  the  line  of  four  Iambuses.  This  forms  a 
very  neat  stanza,  but  rarely  employed. 

I  know  the  thing  that's  most  uncommon  ; 

(Envy,  be  silent  and  attend !) 
I  know  a  reasonable  woman, 

Handsome  and  witty,  yet  a  friend. 

Not  warped  by  passion,  awed  by  rumour ; 

Not  grave  through  pride,  nor  gay  through  folly  ; 
And  equal  mixture  of  good  humour, 

And  sensible,  soft  melancholy. 

"  Has  she  no  faults,  then,"  Envy  says,  "  Sir?" 
Yes,  she  has  one,  I  must  aver : 


36  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  r. 

When  all  the  world  conspires  to  praise  her, 
The  woman's  deaf  and  does  not  hear. 

POPE. — On  a  certain  Lady  at  Court. 

§  9.   The  Heroic  line. 

Wp  now  come  to  the  eighth  species  of  Iambic 
line.  This  is  the  heroic  line  composed  of  five  Iambuses. 
This  line  is  suited  to  solemn  and  sublime  subjects,  and  it 
has  far  more  dignity  than  any  of  the  measures  before 
mentioned.  In  long  pieces  it  is  frequently  varied  by  the 
intermingling  of  secondary  feet,  but  there  are  numerous  in 
stances  of  a  succession  of  Iambuses  through  several  lines. 

It  is  employed  in  couplets,  as  in  POPE'S  Essay  on  Man, 
PARNELL'S  Hermit,  and  GOLDSMITH'S  Deserted  Village  ;  it 
is  employed  in  quatrains,  as  in  GRAY'S  Elegy  in  a  Coun 
try  Churchyard  ;  it  is  employed  in  the  Spenserean  stanza, 
as  in  the  Faery  Queen  and  Childe  Harold  ;  it  is  employed 
in  blank  verse,  as  in  MILTON'S  Paradise  Lost,  THOMSON'S 
Seasons,  ROGERS'  Italy,  and  COWPER'S  Task  ;  lastly,  it  is 
employed  in  triplets,  with  an  additional  short  line  to  com 
plete  the  stanza.  It  is  peculiarly  suited  to  all  subjects 
where  dignity  is  required,  and  should  never  be  employed 
when  the  subject  is  either  trivial  or  gay.  A  specimen 
from  GRAY'S  Elegy,  showing  the  fitness  of  this  measure 
for  solemn  subjects,  will  furnish  the  first  example : 

The  curfew  tolls,  the  knell  of  parting  day, 
The  lowing  herd  winds  slowly  o'er  the  lea, 

The  ploughman  homeward  plods  his  weary  way, 
And  leaves  the  world  to  darkness  and  to  me. 

Now  fades  the  glimmering  landscape  on  the  sight, 

And  all  the  air  a  solemn  stillness  holds, 
Save  where  the  beetle  wheels  his  droning  flight, 

And  drowsy  tinklings  lull  the  distant  folds. 


CHAP.  I.J  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  37 

Save  that  from  yonder  ivy-mantled  tower, 
The  moping  owl  does  to  the  moon  complain 

Of  such  as,  wandering  near  her  secret  bower, 
Molest  her  ancient  solitary  reign. 

This,  it  will  be  perceived,  is  written  in  quatrains,  a 
species  of  stanza  peculiarly  adapted  to  solemn  subjects. 

The  quatrain  was  a  favourite  stanza  with  Dryden,  but 
his  quatrains,  though  they  possess  merit,  are  by  no  means 
so  perfect  as  those  of  Gray.  As  Dryden  is  one  of  the 
fathers  of  English  Verse,  we  shall  give  several  stanzas 
from  his  Annus  Mirabilis.  Many  fine  lines  this  piece 
contains,  but  it  also  contains  many  that  are  tame.  In 
judging,  however,  the  works  of  Dryden,  we  must  consider 
what  he  did  rather  than  what  he  left  undone. 

By  viewing  Nature,  Nature's  handmaid,  Art, 

Makes  mighty  things  from  small  beginnings  grow  ; 

Thus  fishes  first  to  shipping  did  impart, 

Their  tail  the  rudder,  and  their  head  the  prow. 

Some  log  perhaps  upon  the  waters  swam, 
An  useless  drift,  which,  rudely  cut  within, 

And  hollowed  first,  a  floating  trough  became, 
And  cross  some  rivulet  passage  did  begin. 

In  shipping  such  as  this,  the  Irish  kern, 

And  untaught  Indian  on  the  stream  did  glide  : 

Ere  sharp- keeled  boats  to  stem  the  flood  did  learn, 
Or  fin-like  oars  did  spread  from  either  side. 

Add  but  a  sail,  and  Saturn  so  appear'd 
When  from  lost  empire  he  to  exile  went, 

And  with  the  golden  age  to  Tyber  steer'd, 
Where  coin  and  commerce  first  he  did  invent. 

Rude  as  their  ships  was  navigation  then  ; 

No  useful  compass  or  meridian  known  ; 
Coasting,  they  kept  the  land  within  their  ken, 

And  knew  no  north  but  when  the  Pole-star  shone. 
3 


38  QUANTITY.  [TIT.   I. 

Of  all  who  since  have  used  the  open  sea, 

Than  the  bold  English  none  more  fame  have  won ; 

Beyond  the  year,  and  out  of  Heaven's  highway, 
They  make  discoveries  where  they  see  no  sun. 

But  what  so  long  in  vain,  and  yet  unknown, 
By  poor  mankind's  benighted  wit  is  sought, 

Shall  in  this  age  to  Britain  first  be  shpwn, 
And  hence  be  to  admiring  nations  taught. 

The  ebbs  of  tides  and  their  mysterious  flow, 
We,  as  Art's  elements,  shall  understand, 

And  as  by  line  upon  the  ocean  go, 

Whose  paths  shall  be  familiar  as  the  land. 

Instructed  ships  shall  sail  to  quick  commerce, 

By  which  remotest  regions  are  ally'd  ; 
Which  makes  one  city  of  the  universe, 

Where  some  may  gain,  and  all  may  be  supply'd, 

Then  we  upon  our  globe's  last  verge  shall  go, 
And  view  the  ocean  leaning  on  the  sky : 

From  thence  our  rolling  neighbours  we  shall  know, 
And  on  the  lunar  world  securely  pry. 

This  I  foretell  from  your  auspicious  care, 

Who  great  in  search  of  God  and  nature  grow  ; 

Who  best  your  wise  Creator's  praise  declare, 
Since  best  to  praise  his  works  is  best  to  know. 

In  the  following  stanza  we  have  the  heroic  quatrain 
with  an  addition  of  three  lines  composed  each  of  three 
Iambuses.  This  combination  forms  a  noble  stanza : 

I  mix  in  gaudy  throngs  and  festive  halls, 

Where  beauty  charms,  wit  sparkles,  wine  inspires, 
I  see  my  smiles  in  all  the  mirrored  walls, 
But  verdant  ^Etna  burns  with  inward  fires. 
I  shun  the  giddy  dance 
And  turn  from  beauty's  glance, 
Now  I  have  lost  my  Jane. 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  39 

I  fain  would  drown  my  care  in  classic  lore, 
But  when  I  read  of  lovelorn  Dido's  pain, 
How  brave  Leander  sunk  off  Sestos'  shore 
And  Hero  grieved  till  madness  fired  her  brain, 
I  loathe  my  wretched  state, 
And  wish  Leander's  fate 
Would  join  me  to  my  Jane. 

I  read  how  Petrarch  sung  his  Laura's  praise, 

How  Abelard  left  Aristotle's  rules, 
In  Eloisa's  arms  forgot  his  bays, 

And  all  the  learned  jargon  of  the  schools. 
I  pardon  Laura's  bard 
And  erring  Abelard, 
When  I  remember  Jane. 

I  wander  forth  at  summer  eve  or  morn 

To  breathe  the  fragrance  of  the  new-mown  hay, 
I  stray  through  flowery  meads  and  fields  of  corn, 
All  Nature  smiles,  but  still  I  am  not  gay. 
The  earth  is  clad  in  gloom, 
For  the  cold,  silent  tomb 
Has  robbed  me  of  my  Jane. 

I  flee  from  crowds  and  seek  the  twilight  groves, 
Fit  place  for  Brahmin's  god  or  Druid's  shrine, 
Where  widowed  turtles  mourn  their  tender  loves, 
And  Philomela's  notes  respond  to  mine. 
'Tis  here  I  mean  to  dwell, 
And  chant  with  Philomel 
The  love  I  bore  my  Jane. 
«.  ORIGINAL  : — The  Lover's  Lament. 

A  passage  from  POPE'S  Essay  on  Man  showing  the 
effect  of  this  measure  when  formed  into  couplets,  will 
furnish  the  next  example  : 

Lo,  the  poor  Indian  !  whose  untutored  mind 
Sees  God  in  clouds,  and  hears  him  in  the  wind  ! 
His  soul  proud  Science  never  taught  to  stray 
Far  as  the  solar  walk,  or  milky-way ; 
Yet  simple  nature  to  his  hope  has  given, 
Behind  the  cloud-topped  hill,  an  humbler  heaven  ; 


40  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

Some  safer  world  in  depth  of  woods  embraced, 
Some  happier  island  in  the  watery  waste, 
Where  slaves  once  more  their  native  land  behold, 
No  fiends  torment,  no  Christians  thirst  for  gold. 
To  be,  contents  his  natural  desire, 
He  asks  no  angel's  wing,  no  seraph's  fire  ; 
But  thinks,  admitted  to  that  equal  sky, 
His  faithful  dog  shall  bear  him  company. 

It  will  be  observed  that  this  species  of  the  heroic  line 
possesses  great  dignity  but  less  solemnity  than  the  qua 
train,  which  has  been  said  by  Dryden  to  be  the  most  mag- 
nificent  of  all  the  English  stanzas. 

It  has  been  remarked  above,  that  this  line  sometimes 
forms  a  triplet  making  with  a  fourth  line,  generally  com- 
posed  of  a  single  Amphibrach,  a  very  plaintive  measure, 
peculiarly  fitted  for  elegies.     The  following  stanzas  in  this 
measure  will  furnish  the  next  example  of  the  heroic  line  :* 
Oh  !  whither,  lost  one,  whither  art  thou  fled  1 
Hold'st  thou  thy  vigils  by  my  lonely  bed, 
Where,  racked  with  grief,  I  mourn  that  thou  art  dead, 

My  Brother  1 

My  bed  is  now  no  more  a  place  of  rest, 
But  pining  sorrow  wastes  my  widowed  breast ; 
I  fain  would  be  with  thee  among  the  blest, 

My  Brother. 

Know'st  thou  the  fancies  that  possess  my  brain, 
When  in  my  dreams  thou  seem'st  alive  again, 
And  thy  embrace  assuages  all  my  pain, 

My  Brother  ? 

Rejoicest  thou  before  the  throne  of  God, 
No  more  to  smart  beneath  Affliction's  rod 
Or  tread  the  thorny  path  that  thou  hast  trod, 

My  Brother  ? 

Where'er  thou  art,  in  bright  angelic  spheres, 
Or  sent  to  calm  thy  doubting  brother's  fears, 
I  strive  in  vain  to  check  my  flowing  tears, 

My  Brother. 

*  In  this  piece  the  Author  has  paid  a  slight  tribute  to  the  memory  of  his  late  twin- 
brother. 


CHAP.   I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  41 

To  me  the  world  is  palled  in  constant  gloom, 
For  thou  art  gathered  to  the  mouldering  tomb, 
And  none  I  find  on  earth  can  fill  thy  room, 

My  Brother. 

Though  Fortune  smile, — give  all  she  ever  gave, 
My  life  will  be  a  bark  on  stormy  wave, 
For  Hope  lies  buried  with  thee  in  thy  grave, 

My  Brother. 

But  heavenly  visions  dawn  upon  my  sight ; 
I  see  thee  clad  in  robes  of  living  light 
And  I  rejoice  that  thou  hast  won  the  fight, 

My  Brother. 

Though  left  in  this  drear  world,  bereft  and  lorn, 
I'll  no  more  grieve  for  thee  thus  from  me  torn, 
For  thou  art  gone  where  mortals  cease  to  mourn, 

My  Brother. 

ORIGINAL. 

The  following  is  made  up  of  triplets  alone.  This 
stanza  is  uncommon : 

Dictate,  O  mighty  judge,  what  thou  hast  seen 
Of  cities  and  of  courts,  of  books  and  men, 
And  deign  to  let  thy  servant  hold  the  pen. 

Through  ages,  thus,  I  may  presume  to  live, 
And  from  the  transcript  of  thy  prose  receive 
What  my  own  short-lived  verse  can  never  give. 

Thus  shall  fair  Britain,  with  a  gracious  smile 

Accept  the  work,  and  the  instructed  isle, 

For  more  than  treaties  made,  shall  bless  my  toil. 

No  longer  hence  the  Gallic  style  preferred, 

Wisdom  in  English  Idiom  shall  be  heard, 

While  Talbot  tells  the  world  where  Montaigne  erred. 

PRIOR. 

The  Spenserian  stanza,  so  called  from  Spenser,  who 
employed  it  in  his  Faery  Queen,  was  borrowed  from  the 
Italian  poets.  It  is  rather  artificial,  but  when  in  the  hands 
of  a  master  it  has  a  noble  effect.  On  account  of  its  diffi 
culty  of  execution,  it  was  pretty  generally  laid  aside 


A  little  low|y  hermitage  it  was,     ^w' 
Downe  in  a  dale,  hard  by  a  forest's  side, 


42  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

as  early  as  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
and  gave  place  to  the  couplet,  to  the  quatrain,  and  to 
blank  verse.  Only  three  of  the  late  poets  have  succeeded 
in  it  in  pieces  of  any  considerable  length.  These  are 
THOMSON  in  the  Castle  of  Indolence,  BEATTIE  in  the  Min 
strel,  and  BYRON  in  the  Childe  Harold.  The  following 
specimens  will  show  that  it  possesses  great  dignity  as  well 
as  harmony. 

Our  first  example  shall  be  taken  from  him  who  has 

given  his  name  to  this  stanza  : 

—  V  — 

e  it  was,        w' 

A— 

Far  from  resort  of  people  that  did  pas 

In  traveill  too  and  froe  ;  a  little  wyde    •' 

There  was  an  holy  chapel  I  edify  de,      A*-" 
Wherem  thehermite  dewly  wont  to  say 

Efts  holy  things  each  morne  and  eventyc[e:$r— 
Thereby  a  chrystall  streame  did  gently  play,     - 
Which  from  a  sacred  fountaine  welled  forth  a1way~.C- 
Arrived  there,  the  little  house  they  fill,     o^ 

Ne  looke  for  entertainement  where  none  was  ;  $*~ 
Rest  is  their  feast,  and  all  thinges  at  their  will  :  «~ 

The  noblest  mind  the  best  contentment  has.    >- 

With  faire  discourse  the  evening  so  they  pas  ;    ^ 
For  that  olde  man  of  pleasing  wordes  had  store,     ^* 

And  well  could  file  his  tongue,  as  smooth  as  glas  :  l>"* 
He  told  of  saintes  and  popes,  and  evermore    0» 
He  strowd  an  Ave-Mary  after  and  before. 

The  drouping  night  thus  creepeth  on  them  fast, 
And  the  sad  humor  loading  their  eye-liddes  ; 

As  messenger  of  Morpheus  on  them  cast 

Sweet  slumbring  deaw,  the  which  to  sleep  them  biddes  : 
Unto  their  lodgings  then  his  guestes  he  riddes  : 

Where  when  all  drownd  in  deadly  sleepe  he  findes, 
He  to  his  study  goes,  and  their  amiddes 

His  magic  bookes,  and  artes  of  sundry  kindes, 

He  seeks  out  mighty  charmes  to  trouble  sleepy  minds. 


CHAP.   I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  43 

And  forth  he  cald  out  of  deepe  darknes  dredd 
Legions  of  sprights,  the  which,  like  litle  flyes, 

Fluttring  about  his  ever-damned  hedd, 
Awaite  whereto  their  service  he  applyes, 
To  aide  his  friendes,  or  fray  his  inimies ; 

Of  those  he  chose  out  two,  the  falsest  twoo, 
And  fittest  for  to  forge  true-seeming  lyes  ; 

The  one  of  them  he  gave  a  message  too, 

The  other  by  himselfe  staide  other  worke  to  doo. 

lie  making  speedy  way  through  spersed  ayre, 

And  through  the  world  of  waters  wide  and  deepe, 

To  Morpheus  house  doth  hastily  repaire. 
Amid  the  bowels  of  the  earth  full  steepe, 
And  low,  where  dawning  day  doth  never  peepe, 

His  dwelling  is ;  there  Tethys  his  wet  bed 
Doth  ever  wash,  and  Cynthia  still  doth  steepe 

In  silver  deaw  his  ever-drouping  hed, 

While  sad  night  over  him  her  mantle  black  doth  spred. 

Whose  double  gates  he  findeth  locked  fast  ; 

The  one  faire  framed  of  burnisht  yvory, 
The  other  all  with  silver  overcast : 

And  wakeful  dogges  before  them  farre  doe  lye, 

Watching  to  banish  Care  their  enimy, 
Who  oft  is  wont  to  trouble  gentle  sleepe. 

By  them  the  sprite  doth  passe  in  quietly, 
And  unto  Morpheus  comes,  whom,  drowned,  deepe 
In  drowsie  fit  he  findes  ;  of  nothing  he  takes  keepe. 

Again : 

Or  view  the  Lord  of  the  unerring  bow, 

The  God  of  life,  and  poesy,  and  light — 
The  Sun  in  human  limbs  arrayed,  and  brow 

All  radiant  from  his  triumph  in  the  fight ; 

The  shaft  hath  just  been  shot — the  arrow  bright 
With  an  immortal's  vengeance  ;  in  his  eye 

And  nostril  beautiful  disdain,  and  might 
And  majesty,  flash  their  full  lightnings  by, 
Developing  in  that  one  glance  the  Deity, 


44  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

But  in  his  delicate  form — a  dream  of  Love, 

Shaped  by  some  solitary  nymph,  whose  breast 
Longed  for  a  deathless  lover  from  above, 

And  maddened  in  that  vision — are  expressed 

All  that  ideal  beauty  ever  blessed 
The  mind  with  in  its  most  unearthly  mood, 

When  each  conception  was  a  heavenly  guest — 
A  ray  of  immortality — and  stood 
Starlike,  around,  until  they  gathered  to  a  god  ! 

And  if  it  be  Prometheus  stole  from  Heaven 

The  fire  which  we  endure,  it  was  repaid 
By  him  to  whom  the  energy  was  given 

Which  this  poetic  marble  hath  arrayed 

With  an  eternal  glory — which,  if  made 
By  human  hands,  is  not  of  human  thought, 

And  Time  himself  hath  hallowed  it,  nor  laid 
One  ringlet  in  the  dust — nor  hath  it  caught 
A  tinge  of  years,  but  breathes  ihe  flame  with  which  'twas 
wrought. 

Childe  Harold,  Canto  IV. 


The  Sonnet. 

The  Sonnet  (Sonnetto)  like  the  Spenserian  Stanza, 
was  borrowed  from  the  Italians.  Petrarch  is  reckoned 
the  father  of  it.  It  is  still  more  difficult  of  construction 
than  the  Spenserian  stanza;  for,  besides  requiring  a 
great  number  of  rhymes,  it  demands  a  terseness  of  con 
struction,  and  a  point  in  the  thought,  which  that  does  not. 
In  the  Sonnet  no  line  should  be  admitted  merely  for  orna 
ment,  and  the  versification  should  be  faultless.  Sonnets, 
like  Spenserian  Stanzas,  are  somewhat  affected,  and  this 
is  to  be  attributed  to  the  age  in  which  they  were  intro 
duced,  when  far-fetched  thoughts  and  ingenious  ideas 
were  more  in  vogue  than  simplicity  and  natural  expres 
sion.  As  an  illustration  of  this  remark,  we  have  only  to 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  45 

refer  to  the  sonnets  of  Shakspeare,  which  abound  almost 
as  much  in  conceits  as  do  the  writings  of  Donne  or 
Covvley. 

Merlin  de  S.  Gelais  first  introduced  the  Sonnet  into 
France.  He  was  followed  by  du  Bellai,  Malherbe,  Ron- 
sard,  Maynard,  and  others.  The  French,  however,  do 
not  seem  to  have  succeeded  in  this  species  of  verse.  Their 
epigrammatic  turn  would  seem  to  warrant  success,  and 
their  failure  must  be  attributed  to  the  genius  of  their 
tongue,  which  is  but  illy  adapted  to  poetical  composition. 
The  English  have  succeeded  perhaps  a  little  better,  but 
our  language  is  not  rich  enough  in  rhymes  to  give  the 
Sonnet  its  native  beauty.  It  is  a  flower  of  Italian  soil, 
and 

never  will  in  other  climate  grow. 

The  Sonnet  is  subject  to  more  rigorous  rules  than  any 
other  species  of  verse.  It  is  composed  of  exactly  fourteen 
lines,  so  constructed  that  the  first  eight  lines  shall  contain 
but  two  rhymes,  and  the  last  six  but  two  more.  Boileau, 
in  his  Art  Poetique,  has  explained  the  nature  of  this  verse 
so  correctly,  and  at  the  same  time  so  beautifully,  that  I 
cannot  deny  myself  the  pleasure  of  quoting  in  his  own 
words.  He  says : 

"  On  dit,  &,  ce  propos,  qu'  un  jour  ce  dieu  bizarre, 
Voulant  pousser  a.  bout  tous  les  rimeurs  fransais,-,- 
Inventa  du  sonnet  les  rigoureuses  lois^; 
Voulut  qu'en  deux  quatrains  de  mesure  pareille,- 
La  rime  avec  deux  sons  frappai  huit  fois  Poreille  : 
Et  qu'  ensuite  six  vers  artistement  ranges, 
Fussent  en  deux  tercets  par  le  sens  partages.- 
Surtout  de  ce  poeme  il  bannit  la  licence^     _ 
Lui-meme  en  mesura  le  nombre  et  la  cadence  ; 
DeTendit  qu'  un  vers  faible  y  put  jamais  entrer, 
Ni  qu'  un  mot  de'ja  mis  os£t  s'y  remontrer. 
3* 


46  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

Du  reste  il  J'enrichit  d'une  beaute  supreme  : 
Un  sonnet  sans  deTaut  vaut  seul  un  long  poeme. 
Mais  en  vain  mille  auteurs  y  pensent  arriver, 
Et  cet  heureux  phe"nix  est  encore  a  trouver. 
A  peine  dans  Gombaut,  Maynard  et  Malleville, 
En  peut-on  admirer  deux  ou  trois  entre  mille." 

Of  the  arrangement  of  the  two  stanzas,  or  first  eight 
lines,  there  are  several  forms.  The  most  approved  is  that 
in  which  the  first  line  is  made  to  rhyme  with  the  fourth, 
the  fifth  and  the  eighth,  the  second  rhyming  with  the  third, 
the  sixth  and  the  seventh.  The  following  is  an  example 
of  this  form : 


Loclged  with  me  useless,  though  my^soTfl  more  bent  *- 
To  serve  therewith  my  Maker,  and  present  <L* 
My  true  account,  lest  he,  returning,  chide  ;  Vr* 
Doth  God  exact  day-labour,  light  denied  ?   Kr- 
I  fondly  ask  :  but  Patience,  to  prevent    A 
That  murmur,  soon  replies,  God  doth  not  need  4* 
Either  man's  work,  or  his  own  gifts  ;  who  best    *- 
Bear  his  mild  yoke,  they  serve  him  best ;  his  state  /. 
Is  kingly  ;  thousands  at  his  bidding  speed,    ^ 
And  pass  o'er  land  and  ocean  without  rest :  C* 
They  also  serve  who  only  stand  and  wait.    ^ 

MILTON. — On  his  own  Blindness. 

Again  : 

Lonely  and  thoughtful  o'er  deserted  plains, 

I  pass  with  melancholy  steps  and  slow, 

Mine  eyes  intent  to  shun  where'er  I  go, 
The  track  of  man  : — from  him  to  hide  my  pains, 
No  refuge  save  the  wilderness  remains  : 

The  curious  multitude  would  quickly  know, 

Amidst  atfected  smiles,  the  cherished  woe 
That  wrings  my  bosom  and  consumes  my  veins. 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  47 

O  that  the  rocks  and  streams  of  solitude, 

The  vales  and  woods  alone,  my  griefs  might  see  ! 

But  paths,  however  secret,  wild  and  rude, 
I  find  not  from  tormenting  passion  free  ; 

Where'er  I  wander,  still  by  Love  pursued, 
With  Him  I  hold  communion,  He  with  me. 

MONTGOMERY. 

Imitated  from  the  Italian  of  Petrarch. 

Again : 

Rousseau— Voltaire— our  Gibbon— and  de  Stafil— 

Leman !  these  names  are  worthy  of  thy  shore, 

Thy  shore  of  names  like  these  !  wert  thou  no  more, 
Their  memory  thy  remembrance  would  recall : 
To  them  thy  banks  were  lovely  as  to  all, 

But  they  have  made  them  lovelier,  for  the  lore 

Of  mighty  minds  doth  hallow  in  the  core 
Of  human  hearts  the  ruin  of  a  wall 
Where  dwelt  the  wise  and  wondrous  ;  but  by  thee 

How  much  more,  Lake  of  Beauty !  do  we  feel, 
In  sweetly  gliding  o'er  thy  crystal  sea, 

The  wild  glow  of  that  not  ungentle  zeal, 
Which  of  the  heirs  of  immortality 

Is  proud,  and  makes  the  breath  of  glory  real ! 

BYRON. 

As  Keats  wrote  most  of  his  sonnets  in  this  measure,  one 
example  shall  be  given  from  him  : 

Nymph  of  the  downward  smile,  and  sidelong  glance  ! 

In  what  diviner  moments  of  the  day 

Art  thou  most  lovely  ?  when  gone  far  astray 
Into  the  labyrinths  of  sweet  utterance  ? 
Or  when  serenely  wandering  in  a  trance 

Of  sober  thought  ?  or  when  starting  away, 

With  careless  robe  to  meet  the  morning  ray, 
Thou  sparest  the  flowers  in  thy  mazy  dance  ? 
Haply  'tis  when  thy  ruby  lips  part  sweetly, 

And  so  remain,  because  thou  listenest : 
But  thou  to  please  wert  nurtured  so  completely 

That  I  can  never  tell  what  mood  is  best. 
I  shall  as  soon  pronounce  which  Grace  more  neatly 

Trips  it  before  Apollo  than  the  rest. 


48  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  j. 

I  cannot  deny  myself  the  pleasure  of  giving  one  more 
example  of  this  from  Voiture.  Boileau  regarded  this  as 
a  perfect  specimen  of  the  sonnet. 

Des  portes  du  matin  1'amante  de  Ce'phale 
Ses  roses  6pandait  dans  le  milieu  des  airs, 
Et  jetait  sur  les  cieux  nouvellement  ouverts 
Ces  traits  d'or  et  d'azur  qu'  en  naissant  elle  etale  ; 
Quand  la  nymphe  divine,  &  mon  repos  fatale, 
Apparut,  et  brilla  de  tant  d'  attraits  divers, 
Qu'il  semblait  qu'  elle  seule  e"clairait  1'univers, 
Et  remplissait  de  feu  la  rive  orientale. 

Le  soleil  se  hatant  pour  la  gloire  des  cieux, 
Vint  opposer  sa  flaume  a  1'eclat  de  ses  yeux 
Et  prit  tous  les  rayons  dont  TOlympe  se  dore. 

L'onde,  la  terre  et  I'air  s'allumaient  &  1'entour  ! 
Mais  auprfes  de  Philis,  on  le  prit  pour  1'Aurore, 
Et  1'on  crut  que  Philis  dtait  1'astre  du  jour. 

This  form  is  considered  the  best,  of  all  the  forms  of 
the  sonnet,  but  there  is  another  very  generally  adopted  by 
the  Italian  Poets.  In  that  the  first  line  rhymes  with  the 
third,  the  fifth  and  the  seventh,  the  second  rhyming  with 
the  fourth,  the  sixth  and  the  eighth.*  It  is  to  be  regretted 

*  The  following,  from  Foscolo,  will  illustrate  this  form. 
Non  son  chi  fui ;  peri  di  noi  gran  parte  : 

CJuesto  che  avanza,  e  sol  languors  e  pian^o  ; 

E  secco  e  il  mirto,  e  son  le  foglie  sparte  v ' 

Del  lauro,  speme  al  giovenil  mio  canto  :  x 
Perche  dal  di  ch'  empia  lisenza  e  Marte 

Vestivan  me  del  lor  sanguineo  manto,  v 

Cieca  e  la  mente  e  guasto  il  core,  ed  arte 

L'umana  strage,  arte  e  in  me  fatta  e  vanto. 
Che  se  pur  sorge  di  moiir  consiglio, 

A  mia  fiera  ragion  chiudon  le  porte 

Furor  di  gloria  e  caritk  di  figlio. 
Tal  di  me  schiavo,  e  d'  altri,  e  dellasorte, 

Conosco  il  meglio  ed  alpeggior  mi  appiglio, 

E  so  invocare  e  non  darmi  la  morte. 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  49 

that  these  forms  have  not  been  generally  adopted  by  the 
English  Poets.  They  have  departed  from  the  rules  laid 
down  by  their  Italian  Masters,  and  have  in  many  instances 
made  the  first  stanza  contain  three  and  even  four  rhymes. 
This  is  an  unwarrantable  license.  It  is  a  sonnet  only  in 
name,  for  it  is  just  as  essential  to  this  verse  that  it  should 
contain  only  two  rhymes  in  the  first  eight  lines,  as  that  it 
should  contain  fourteen  lines  in  all.  Witness  the  follow 
ing  from  Coleridge  : 

Thou  gentle  Look,  that  didst  my  soul  beguile, 

Why  hast  thou  left  me  1     Still  in  some  fond  dream 
Revisit  my  sad  heart,  auspicious  Smile  ! 

As  falls  on  closing  flowers  the  lunar  beam  ; 
What  time  in  sickly  mood,  at  parting  day 

I  lay  me  down  and  think  of  happier  years  ; 
Of  joys,  that  glimmered  in  hope's  twilight  ray, 

Then  left  me  darkling  in  a  vale  of  tears. 
O  pleasant  days  of  Hope — forever  gone  ! 

Could  I  recall  you ! — But  that  thought  is  vain, 
Availeth  not  Persuasion's  sweetest  tone 

To  lure  the  fleet-winged  travellers  back  again  : 
Yet  fair,  though  faint,  their  images  shall  gleam, 
Like  the  bright  rainbow  on  a  willowy  stream. 

Shakspeare's  sonnets  are  all,  with  a  single  exception, 
written  in  this  measure,  and  this  is  the  more  strange  as  he 
had  his  Italian  models  before  him,  and  was  one  of  the 
first  that  introduced  the  sonnet  into  English. 

A  form  different  from  either  of  these  has  been  adopted 
by  several  of  our  Poets.  In  this  the  first  line  rhymes 
with  the  fourth,  the  fifth  and  the  seventh,  the  second 
rhyming  with  the  third,  the  sixth  and  the  eighth.  The 
following  from  Byron  furnishes  an  appropriate  example  : 

Of  two  fair  virgins,  modest,  though  admired, 

Heaven  made  us  happy ;  and  now,  wretched  sires, 
Heaven  for  a  nobler  doom  their  worth  desires  ; 

And  gazing  upon  either,  both  required. 


50  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  1 

Mine,  while  the  torch  of  Hymen  newly  fired 

Becomes  extinguished,  soon — too  soon — expires: 
But  thine,  within  the  closing  grate  retired, 

Eternal  captive,  to  her  God  aspires. 
But  thou  at  least  from  out  the  jealous  door, 

Which  shuts  between  your  never-meeting  eyes, 
May'st  hear  her  sweet  and  pious  voice  once  more  : 

I  to  the  marble  where  my  daughter  lies, 
Rush, — the  swollen  flood  of  bitterness  I  pour, 

And  knock,  and  knock,  and  knock — but  none  replies. 

This  form,  though  admissible,  is  by  no  means  so  good 
as  the  two  preceding  ones. 

We  now  come  to  the  two  triplets  which  close  the  son 
net.  There  are  several  arrangements  for  these  as  there 
are  for  the  preceding  stanzas.  For  these  we  will  give  the 
opinion  of  Mr.  Hallam  in  his  own  words.  "  The  rhymes 
of  the  last  six  lines  are  capable  of  many  arrangements: 
but  by  far  the  worst,  and  also  the  least  common  in  Italy, 
is  that  we  usually  adopt,  the  fifth  and  sixth  rhyming  toge 
ther,  frequently  after  a  full  pause,  so  that  the  sonnet  ends 
with  the  point  of  an  epigram.  ^*The  best  form,  as  the  Italv 
ianshold,  is  the  rhyming  together  of  the  three  uneven  and 
the  three  even  lines ;  but,  as  our  language  is  less  rich  in 
consonant  terminations,  there  can  be  no  objection  to  what 
has  abundant  precedents  even  in  theirs,  the  rhyming  of 
the  first  and  fourth,  second  and  fifth,  third  and  sixth  lines./ 
This,  with  a  break  in  the  sense  at  the  third  line,  will  make 
a  real  sonnet,  which  Shakspeare,  Milton,  Bowles,  and 
Wordsworth  have  often  failed  to  give  us,  even  where  they 
have  given  us  something  good  instead."  The  following 
is  an  example  of  the  best  arrangement : 

Methought  I  saw  my  late  espoused  saint 
Brought  to  me,  like  Alcestis,  from  the  grave, 
Whom  Jove's  great  son  to  her  glad  husband  gave, 

Rescued  from  death  by  force,  though  pale  and  faint 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  51 

Mine,  as  whom  washed  from  spot  of  child-bed  taint, 

Purification  in  the  old  Law  did  save, 

And  such,  as  yet  once  more  I  trust  to  have 
Full  sight  of  her  in  Heaven  without  restraint,— - 
Came  vested  all  in  white,  pure  as  her  mind :  <?v 

Her  face  was  veiled  ;  yet,  to  my  fancied  sight, 
Love,  sweetness,  goodness,  in  her  person  shined   * 

So  clear,  as  in  no  face  with  more  delight : 
But  0  !  as  to  embrace  me  she  inclined,      ;, 

I  waked  ;  she  fled  ;  and  day  brought  back  my  night.'* 

MILTON. — On  his  deceased  Wife. 

The  following  is  an  example  of  the  arrangement  next 
to  be  preferred  after  the  preceding  : 

Had  I  a  man's  form,  then  might  my  sighs 
Be  echoed  swiftly  through  that  ivory  shell 
Thine  ear,  and  find  thy  gentle  heart ;  so  well 

Would  passion  arm  me  for  the  enterprise  ; 

But  ah  !  I  am  no  knight  whose  foeman  dies  : 
No  cuirass  glistens  on  my  bosom's  swell  ; 
I  am  no  happy  shepherd  of  the  dell, 

Whose  lips  have  trembled  with  a  maiden's  eyes, 

Yet  must  I  dote  upon  thee, — call  thee  sweet, 
Sweeter  by  far  than  Hybla's  honied  roses 
When  steeped  in  dew  rich  to  intoxication. 

Ah  !  I  will  taste  that  dew,  for  me  'tis  meel, 
And  when  the  moon  her  pallid  face  discloses, 
I'll  gather  some  by  spells  and  incantation. 

KEATS. 

The  worst  form,  in  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Hallam,  is  that 
in  which  the  fifth  line  and  the  sixth  are  made  to  rhyme 
together.  Witness  the  following  example  : 

Oh !  it  is  pleasant,  with  a  heart  at  ease, 

Just  after  sunset,  or  by  moonlight  skies, 
To  make  the  shifting  clouds  be  what  you  please, 

Or  yield  the  easily  persuaded  eyes 


52  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

To  each  quaint  image  issuing  from  the  mould 
Of  a  friend's  fancy  ;  or  with  head  bent  low, 

And  cheek  aslant,  see  rivers  flow  of  gold 

'Twixt  crimson  banks ;  and  then,  a  traveller,  go 

From  mount  to  mount  through  Cloudland,  gorgeous  land  ! 

Or  listening  to  the  tide  with  closed  sight, 
Be  that  blind  bard,  who  on  the  Chian  strand, 

By  those  deep  sounds  possessed,  with  inward  light 
Beheld  the  Iliad  and  the  Odyssey 
Rise  to  the  swelling  of  the  voiceful  sea ! 

COLERIDGE. 

It  must  be  acknowledged  that  this,  beautiful  as  it  is  in 
point  of  sentiment,  has  in  it  nothing  of  the  sonnet  except 
the  name. 

§  10.     Blank  Verse. 

Blank  verse  is  measure  without  rhyme,  and  should 
always  be  in  the  heroic  measure.  This,  though  not  peculiar 
to  the  English  among  modern  languages,  has  been  em 
ployed  with  greater  success  in  this  than  in  any  other. 
It  will  be  found  that  but  few  comparatively  of  those  who 
have  attempted  this  measure  have  succeeded  in  it,  from 
the  fact  that  the  music  is  produced  entirely  by  the  dispo 
se  sition  of  the  feet,  unaided  by  rhyme,  which  is  one  of  the 
chief  characteristics  of  modern  poetry.  To  succeed  in 
this  requires  a  great  sensibility  of  taste,  an  ear  unerringly 
correct.  It  may  be  laid  down  as  a  maxim,  that  rhyme 
is  more  difficult  of  construction  than  blank  verse,  but 
that  good  blank  verse  is  more  difficult  of  construction 
than  good  rhyme.  (  The  music  not  being  aided  by  rhyme, 
/it  is  frequently  necessary  to  resort  to  inversions  in  order 
V  to  avoid  being  prosaic.  We  have  only  to  compare  dif 
ferent  passages  of  the  Paradise  Lost  with  passages  of 
Pope's  Homer,  for  example,  and  we  shall  see  that  inver 
sions  are  far  more  frequent  in  the  former  than  in  the 


OHAP.  1.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  53 

latter.  Addison  says  that  "  blank  verse  is  such  a  due 
medium  between  rhyme  and  prose  that  it  seems  wonder 
fully  adapted  to  tragedy."  **0ne  way  in  which  this  verse 
may  be  said  to  be  a  due  medium  between  rhyme  and  prose 
is  its  carrying  the  sense  through  several  lines  and  not 
confining  it  to  two  as  in  couplets.  »  The  Spenserian  stanza 
in  this  respect  allows  the  same  liberties  as  blank  verse. 

Nearly  all  the  dramatic  writers  have  adopted  this 
measure,  but  with  a  few  exceptions,  their  productions  are 
more  distinguished  for  propriety  and  beauty  of  sentiment 
than  for  the  harmony  of  the  verse.  And  it  is  not  among 
our  tragic  Poets  that  we  must  look  for  the  finest  specimens 
of  blank  verse.  The  only  Poet  that  seems  to  have  perfectly 
succeeded  in  this  measure  is  Milton.  Dr.  Johnson  in  his  life 
of  Milton  makes  the  following  remarks  upon  blank  verse. 
"  Poetry,"  he  observes,  "  may  subsist  without  rhyme  ;  but 
English  poetry  will  not  often  please,  nor  can  rhyme  ever  be 
safely  spared,  but  where  the  subject  is  able  to  support  it 
self.  Blank  verse  makes  some  approach  to  that  which  is 
called  the  lapidary  style  ;  has  neither  the  easiness  of  prose, 
nor  the  melody  of  numbers,  and  therefore  tires  by  long 
continuance.  Of  the  Italian  writers  without  rhyme,  whom 
Milton  alleges  as  precedents,  not  one  is  popular ;  what 
reason  could  urge  in  its  defence,  has  been  confuted  by  the 
ear."  "  But  whatever  be  the  advantages  of  rhyme,"  he 
further  observes,  "  I  cannot  prevail  on  myself  to  wish  that 
Milton  had  been  a  rhymer ;  for  I  cannot  wish  his  work 
to  be  other  than  it  is ;  yet,  like  other  heroes,  he  is  to  be 
admired  rather  than  imitated.  He  that  thinks  himself  capa 
ble  of  astonishing,  may  write  blank  verse  :  but  those  that 
hope  only  to  please  must  condescend  to  rhyme."  Mil 
ton's  great  genius  seems  to  have  been  able  not  only  to  con 
ceive  the  sentiments  of  a  higher  order  of  beings,  but  to 
express  these  sentiments  in  language  truly  divine.  The 


54  QUANTITY.  [TIT.   I. 

Greeks  said  of  their  beloved  Plato,  that  if  the  gods  should 
come  upon  the  earth  they  would  adopt  his  language ;  and 
we  may  say  of  Milton,  that  if  the  spirits  he  describes  were 
to  visit  the  earth  they  would  find  a  language  already 
formed  to  their  use  in  Paradise  Lost. 

A  single  extract  will  show  that  this  remark  is  not  an 
exaggeration.  This  will  furnish  the  fifth  example  of 
heroic  measure  : 

,1>-     .  vi.     ,  „(  _ 

What,  if  the  breath,  that  kindled  those  grim  fires, 
Awaked,  should  blow  them  into  sevenfold  ragp, 
And  plunge  us  in  the  flames?  or  from  above 
Should  intermitted  vengeance  arm  again 
His  red  right  hand  to  plague  us  1  what  if  all 
Her  stores  were  opened,  and  this  firmament 
Of  Hell  should  spout  her  cataracts  of  fire, 
Impendent  horrors,  threatening  hideous  fall 
One  day  upon  our  heads ;  while  we,  perhaps, 
Designing  or  exhorting  glorious  war, 
Caught  in  a  fiery  tempest  shall  be  hurled 
Each  on  his  rock  transfixed,  the  sport  and  prey 
Of  wracking  whirlwinds  ;  or  forever  sunk 
Under  yon  boiling  ocean,  wrapt  in  chains, 
There  to  converse  with  everlasting  groans, 
Unrespited,  unpitied,  unreprieved, 
Ages  of  hopeless  end  ! 

The  above  passage  shows  how  peculiarly  fitted  blank 
verse  is  for  sublime  subjects.  Milton  has  shown  in  various 
parts  of  Comus  as  well  as  Paradise  Lost  that  this  verse  is 
capable  of  great  harmony.  As  a  proof  of  the  truth  of 
this  last  remark  take  the  following  passage  of  Comus, 
which,  whether  we  consider  the  sweetness  of  the  words, 
their  combined  harmony,  or  the  beauty  of  the  sentiments, 
is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  passages  in  our  language. 
The  Poet  is  speaking  of  chastity. 


;HAP.   [.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  55 

Hence  had  the  huntress  Dian  her  dread  bow, 

Fair  silver-shafted  queen,  forever  chaste, 

Wherewith  she  tamed  the  brinded  lioness 

And  spotted  mountain-pard,  but  set  at  naught 

The  frivolous  bolt  of  Cupid  :  gods  and  men 

Feared  her  stern  frown,  and  she  was  queen  o'  the  woods. 

What  was  that  snaky-headed  Gorgon  shield, 

That  wise  Minerva  wore,  unconquered  virgin, 

Wherewith  she  freezed  her  foes  to  congealed  stone, 

By  rigid  looks  of  chaste  austerity, 

And  noble  grace,  that  dashed  brute  violence 

With  sudden  adoration  and  blank  awe  1 

So  dear  to  Heaven  is  saintly  Chastity, 

That,  when  a  soul  is  found  sincerely  so, 

A  thousand  liveried  Angels  lackey  her, 

Driving  far  off  each  thing  of  sin  and  guilt ; 

And,  in  clear  drearn  and  solemn  vision, 

Tell  her  of  things  that  no  gross  ear  can  hear  ; 

Till  oft  converse  with  heavenly  habitants 

Begin  to  cast  a  beam  on  the  outward  shape, 

The  unpolluted  temple  of  the  mind, 

And  turn  it  by  degrees  to  the  soul's  essence, 

Till  all  be  made  immortal. 


Shakspeare  wrote  most  of  his  plays  in  blank  verse,  but 
he  has  few  passages  of  any  considerable  length  which  can 
be  considered  correct.  He  had  before  him  no  models,  and 
with  him  Art  never  came  to  the  aid  of  Nature.  There 
are  in  his  works  many  passages  of  remarkable  beauty, 
but  their  beauty  is  generally  owing  rather  to  the  propriety 
and  delicacy  of  the  sentiments  than  to  the  sweetness  of  the 
verse.  He  followed  no  rules,  and  wrote  in  a  style  pecu 
liar  to  himself, — a  style  called  from  him  Shaksperean, 
which  term  implies  a  locse  kind  of  verse,  subjected  to  no 
law,  and  not  amenable  to  the  tribunal  of  criticism.  There 
are,  however,  passages  which  will  form  exceptions  to  these 
remarks,  and  which  are  not  only  not  harsh  but  quite  har- 


56  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

monious.  The  following  example,  descriptive  of  the  effect 
of  music  heard  in  the  stillness  of  night,  contains  many 
notes  kindred  to  the  subject  treated  of: 

How  sweet  the  moonlight  sleeps  upon  this  bank  ! 
Here  will  we  sit,  and  let  the  sounds  of  music 
Creep  in  our  ears  ;  soft  stillness,  and  the  night, 
Become  the  touches  of  sweet  harmony. 
Sit,  Jessica :  Look,  how  the  floor  of  heaven 
Is  thick  inlaid  with  patines  of  bright  gold  ; 
There's  not  the  smallest  orb,  which  thou  behold'st, 
But  in  his  motion  like  an  angel  sings, 
Still  quiring  to  the  young-eyed  cherubins. 
Such  harmony  is  in  immortal  souls, 
But  whilst  this  muddy  vesture  of  decay 
Doth  grossly  close  it  in,  we  cannot  hear  it. 

Her.  of  Yen,,  Act,  V.  Scene.  1. 

In  this  passage  not  only  is  the  general  effect  good  but 
the  several  lines  are  very  melodious,  a  circumstance  rather 
rare  with  Shakspeare,  even  in  his  best  pieces. 

I  cannot  deny  myself  the  pleasure  of  adding  to  the 
foregoing  examples  in  blank  verse,  a  few  lines  from  BRYANT, 
who  has  written  some  of  the  choicest  morsels  in  rhyme 
that  have  been  produced  by  American  genius,  and  it  is  no 
disparagement  to  others  to  say  that  he  has  succeeded  better 
than  any  other  American  poet  in  the  construction  of 
blank  verse.  The  following  is  truly  sublime  : 


-  ...  — -r 

Ye't  not  to  thy  eternal  resting-place 
Shalt  thou  retire  alone — nor  couldst  thou  wish 
Couch  more  magnificent.     Thou  shalt  lie  down 
With  patriarchs  of  the  infant  world — with  kings, 
The  powerful  of  the  earth — the  wise,  the  good, 
Fair  forms,  and  hoary  seers  of  ages  past, 
All  in  one  mighty  sepulchre.     The  hills 
Rock-ribbed  and  ancient  as  the  sun — the  vales 


CHAP.  1.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  57 

Stretching  in  pensive  quietness  between  ; 

The  venerable  woods — rivers  that  move 

In  majesty,  and  the  complaining  brooks 

That  make  the  meadows  green  ;  and,  poured  round  all, 

Old  Ocean's  gray  and  melancholy  waste, — 

Are  but  the  solemn  decorations  all 

Of  the  great  tomb  of  man.     The  golden  sun, 

The  planets,  all  the  infinite  host  of  heaven, 

Are  shining  on  the  sad  abodes  of  death, 

Through  the  still  lapse  of  ages.     All  that  tread 

The  globe  are  but  a  handful  to  the  tribes 

That  slumber  in  its  bosom.     Take  the  wings 

Of  morning — and  the  Barcan  desert  pierce, 

Or  lose  thyself  in  the  continuous  woods 

Where  rolls  the  Oregan,  and  hears  no  sound, 

Save  his  own  dashings — yet — the  dead  are  there, 

And  millions  in  those  solitudes,  since  first 

The  flight  of  years  began,  have  laid  them  down 

In  their  last  sleep — the  dead  reign  there  alone. 

Thanatopsis. 

It  is  proper  to  remark,  that  blank  verse  should  never 
consist  of  more  or  of  less  than  five  feet.  It  will  be  found 
that  lines  composed  of  any  number  of  feet  less  than  five, 
being  void  of  harmony,  on  account  of  extreme  monotony, 
require  rhyme  to  give  them  melody.  A  few  lines  from 
SOUTHEY'S  Thalaba  will  make  the  truth  of  this  remark 
evident : 

Through  the  broken  portal, 
Over  weedy  fragments, 
Thalaba  went  his  way. 
Cautious  he  trod,  and  felt 

The  dangerous  ground  before  him  with  his  bow. 
The  jackal  started  at  his  steps  ; 
The  stork,  alarmed  at  sound  of  man, 
From  her  broad  nest  upon  the  old  pillar  top, 
Affrighted  fled  on  flapping  wings  ; 
The  adder,  in  her  haunts  disturbed, 
Lanced  at  the  intruding  staff  her  arrowy  tongue. 


• 

THf 


58  QUANTITY.  [TIT.   I. 

Twilight  and  moonshine,  dimly  mingling,  gave 

An  awful  light  obscure  : 

Evening  not  wholly  closed — 

The  moon  still  pale  and  faint, — 

An  awful  light  obscure, 
Broken  by  many  a  mass  of  blackest  shade  ; 
Long  columns  stretching  dark  through  weeds  and  moss, 

Broad  length  of  lofty  wall, 

Whose  windows  lay  in  light, 
And  of  their  former  shape,  low-arched  or  square, 

Rude  outline  on  the  earth 

Figured  with  long  grass  fringed. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  sentiments  so  appropriate  to 
the  subject  should  be  expressed  in  such  unwarrantable 
measure. 

We  here  close  our  remarks  on  the  subject  of  blank 
verse,  and  with  them  the  subject  of  the  heroic  line;  hav 
ing  given  a  sufficient  number  of  examples  to  show  that 
this  line  is  employed  in  a  great  variety  of  measures,  in 
all  of  which  it  is  adapted  to  the  expression  of  all  noble 
sentiments,  whether  solemn,  beautiful,  or  sublime. 


§  11.   The  line  of  five  Iambuses  followed  by  a  short  syllable. 

The  ninth  species  of  the  Iambic  line,  consists  of 
five  Iambuses  and  an  additional  short  syllable.  This 
measure  is  adapted  to  burlesque  and  humorous  subjects. 
It  is  of  rare  occurrence.  BYRON'S  Beppo  is  written  for 
the  most  part  in  this  measure  ;  nor  would  it  have  been 
possible  to  choose  a  measure  better  suited  to  the  subject 
than  this.  It  will  be  perceived  that  the  seventh  species  of 
Iambic  line  differs  from  this  only  in  having  one  foot  less. 
This  has  an  effect  equally  ludicrous  with  that,  but  not 
quite  so  animated.  It  cannot  be  too  often  remarked  that 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  59 

the  short  syllable  added  to  any  number  of  feet  always 
adds  vivacity  and  briskness,  and  hence,  all  these  Amphi- 
brachic  measures  should  be  employed  only  in  treating  gay 
subjects.  We  will  give  an  example  of  this  measure  from 
Beppo  : 

They  lock  them  up,  and  veil  and  guard  them  daily, 
They  scarcely  can  behold  their  male  relations, 

So  that  their  moments  do  not  pass  so  gaily 

As  is  supposed  the  case  with  northern  nations  ; 

Confinement,  too,  must  make  them  look  quite  palely : 
And  as  the  Turks  abhor  long  conversations, 

Their  days  are  either  past  in  doing  nothing, 

Or  bathing,  nursing,  making  love  and  clothing. 

They  cannot  read,  and  so  don't  lisp  in  criticism  ; 

Nor  write,  and  so  they  don't  affect  the  muse  ; 
Were  never  caught  in  epigram  or  witticism, 

Have  no  romances,  sermons,  plays,  reviews, — 
In  harems  learning  soon  would  make  a  pretty  schism  ! 

But  luckily  these  beauties  are  no  "  blues," 
No  bustling  Botherbys  have  they  to  show  'em 
"  That  charming  passage  in  the  last  new  poem." 

Again : 

I  also  like  to  dine  on  becaficas, 

To  see  the  sun  set,  sure  he'll  rise  to-morrow, 

Not  through  a  misty  morning  twinkling  weak  as 
A  drunken  man's  dead  eye  in  maudlin  sorrow, 

But  with  all  Heaven  t'  himself;    that  day  will  break  as 
Beauteous  as  cloudless,  nor  be  forced  to  borrow 

That  sort  of  farthing  candlelight  which  glimmers 

Where  reeking  London's  smoky  caldron  simmers. 

I  love  the  language,  that  soft  bastard  Latin, 
Which  melts  like  kisses  from  a  female  mouth, 

And  sounds  as  if  it  should  be  writ  on  satin, 

With  syllables  which  breathe  of  the  sweet  South, 

And  gentle  liquids  gliding  all  so  pat  in, 
That  not  a  single  accent  seems  uncouth, 


60  QUANTITY.  [TIT.   I. 

Like  our  harsh  northern  whistling,  grunting  guttural, 
Which  we're  obliged  to  hiss,  and  spit  and  sputter  all. 


§  12.   The  Alexandrine. 

The  tenth  species  of  the  Iambic  line  consists  of  six 
Iambuses,  and  forms  what  is  called  the  Alexandrine. 
This  is  chiefly  used  at  the  end  of  a  stanza,  but  sometimes 
intermingled  with  the  common  heroic  of  five  feet.  It  is 
found  employed  in  this  latter  way  by  many  writers  of 
Queen  Elizabeth's  time,  but  Cowley  seems  to  have  been  the 
first  that  gave  it  the  stamp  of  authority  and  made  it  current. 
Dryden*  gives  the  following  account  of  its  introduction 
into  English  heroic  poetry.  He  says,  "  Spenser  has  also 
given  me  the  boldness  to  make  use  sometimes  of  his 
Alexandrine  line,  which  we  call,  though  improperly,  the 
Pindaric,  because  Mr.  Cowley  has  often  employed  it  in 
his  odes.  It  adds  a  certain  majesty  to  the  verse,  when  it 
is  used  with  judgment,  and  stops  the  sense  from  over 
flowing  into  another  line.  Formerly  the  French,  like  us, 
and  the  Italians,  had  but  five  feet,  or  ten  syllables,  in  their 
heroic  verse:  but  since  Ronsard's  time,  as  I  suppose,  they 
found  their  tongue  too  weak  to  support  their  epic  poetry 
without  the  addition  of  another  foot."  The  same  critic 
says  again  :  "  When  I  mentioned  the  Pindaric  (Alexan 
drine)  line,  I  should  have  added  that  I  take  another  license 
in  my  verses  :  for  I  frequently  make  use  of  triplet  rhymes, 
and  for  the  same  reason,  because  they  bound  the  sense. 
And  therefore  I  generally  join  these  two  licenses  together, 
and  make  the  last  verse  of  the  triplet  a  Pindaric  :  for,  be 
sides  the  majesty  which  it  gives,  it  confines  the  sense 
within  the  barriers  of  three  lines,  which  would  languish 

*  Dedication  of  the  JSneid, 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC  MEASURES.  61 

if  it  were  lengthened  into  four.  Spenser  is  my  example  for 
both  these  privileges  of  English  verse;  and  Chapman 
has  followed  it  in  his  translation  of  Homer ;  Mr.  Cowley 
has  given  in  to  them  after  both,  and  all  succeeding 
writers  after  him.  I  regard  them  now  as  the  Magna 
Charta  of  heroic  poetry,  and  am  too  much  of  an  English 
man  to  lose  what  my  ancestors  have  gained  for  me.  Let 
the  French  and  Italians  value  themselves  on  their  regu 
larity  ;  strength  and  elevation  are  our  standard."  Upon 
these  remarks,  it  is  proper  to  observe,  that  since  the  time 
of  Dryden  and  Pope,  Spenser  and  Cowley  are  no  longer 
regarded  as  the  Magna  Charta  of  heroic  poetry ;  and  the 
judgment  of  all  these — fathers  of  English  verse  though 
they  were — has  been  thought  to  have  been,  in  this  respect, 
erroneous.  Later  poets  have  judged  that  the  line  of  five 
feet  has  already  sufficient '  strength  and  elevation  '  even  for 
epic  poetry,  and  the  Alexandrine  intermingled  with  couplets 
is  used  very  sparingly.  The  triplet,  except  in  the  stanza 
before  mentioned  (§  9)  under  the  head  of  heroic  measure, 
or  the  stanzas  formed  of  a  triplet  and  an  additional  short 
line,  (§  7)  is  fallen  almost  completely  into  desuetude.  It 
will  be  sufficient  to  give  the  following  examples  of  the 
triplet  and  Alexandrine  combined  : 

In  fear  of  this,  the  father  of  the  gods 
Confined  their  fury  to  those  dark  abodes, 
And  locked  them  safe  within,  oppressed  with  mountain  loads. 

DBYDEN'S  JEneid,  B.  I.  1.  90. 

Again : 

Their  fury  falls  ;  he  skims  the  liquid  plains, 
High  on  his  chariot,  and,  with  loosened  reins, 
Majestic  moves  along,  and  awful  peace  maintains. 

Ibid.  1.  223. 
4 


62  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  J. 

Again : 

Athwart  her  breast  a  golden  belt  she  throws, 

Amid  the  press  alone  provokes  a  thousand  foes, 

And  dares  her  maiden  arms  to  manly  force  oppose. 

Ibid.  1.  692, 
Again : 

If  our  hard  fortune  no  compassion  draws, 

Nor  hospitable  rights,  nor  human  laws, 

The  gods  are  just,  and  will  revenge  our  cause. 

Ibid.  1.  764. 

These  examples,  and  others  that  might  be  quoted,  con 
firm  the  judgment  of  the  later  poets/  and  show,  in  my 
opinion,  that  how  majestic  soever  the  Alexandrine  may  be 
(and  that  it  is  highly  so,  no  ear  can  fail  to  perceive)  when 
intermingled  with  couplets,  the  measure  loses  more  in 
animation  than  it  gains  in  majesty. 

For  the  same  reason  that  the  Alexandrine  should  be 
avoided  in  triplets  as  rendering  them  too  clumsy,  it  should 
never  form  the  closing  line  of  the  quatrain.  Its  use  in 
this  way  is  not  perhaps  sufficiently  common  to  render  this 
caution  necessary ;  but  it  is  proper  to  point  out  the  rule 
distinctly,  though  it  may  never  have  been  violated  in  more 
than  one  or  two  instances.  To  show  the  unwiehn'ness  of 
the  quatrain  ending  with  this  line,  one  example  will  abun 
dantly  suffice  : 

Mark  how  it  snows  !  how  fast  the  valley  fills, 
And  the  sweet  groves  the  hoary  garment  wear ; 

Yet  the  warm  sunbeams,  bounding  from  the  hills, 

Shall  melt  the  veil  away,  and  the  young  green  appear. 

But  when  old  age  has  on  your  temples  shed 

Her  silver  frost,  there's  no  returning  sun  : 
Swift  flies  our  summer,  swift  our  autumn's  fled, 

When  youth  and  love  and  spring  and  golden  joys  are  gone. 

How  easy  to  have  avoided  this  drawling  close. 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  63 

The  word  away  in  the  last  line  of  the  first  stanza, 
adds  nothing  to  the  force  of  the  expression,  and  might  have 
been  omitted  without  prejudice  to  the  sense,  and  the  line, 
though  it  could  not  be  made  smooth  without  entirely 
changing  the  construction,  would  have  contained  the  same 
number  of  feet  as  the  three  preceding  lines,  and  would 
have  been  much  less  cumbrous  than  it  now  is. 

In  the  last  line  of  the  second  stanza,  the  word  youth 
has  its  synonyme  under  the  form  of  a  trope,  in  the  word 
spring — a  tautology  of  the  worst  species — and  the  line 
would  be  far  more  nervous  if  the  word  youth  were  omitted. 
The  line,  with  a  slight  inversion,  would  read  thus  : 
When  spring  and  love  and  golden  joys  are  gone. 

In  the  following  stanzas  the  Alexandrine  might  better 
have  been  shortened  into  a  heroic  line,  though  the  two 
middle  lines  being  of  eight  syllables,  the  stanza  is  by  no 
means  so  clumsy  as  that  just  mentioned  : 

The  silent  globe  is  struck  with  awful  fear, 

When  thy  majestic  shades  appear  : 

Thou  dost  compose  the  air  and  sea, 
And  earth  a  Sabbath  keeps,  sacred  to  rest  and  thee. 

In  thy  serener  shades  our  ghosts  delight, 

And  court  the  umbrage  of  the  night  ; 

In  vaults  and  gloomy  caves  they  stray, 
But  fly  the  morning  beams,  and  sicken  at  the  day. 

Though  solid  bodies  dare  exclude  the  light, 

Nor  will  the  brightest  ray  admit ; 

No  substance  can  thy  force  repel, 
Thou  reign'st  in  depths  below  ;  dost  in  the  centre  dwell. 

The  sparkling  gems,  and  ore  in  mines  below, 

To  thee  their  beauteous  lustre  owe  ; 

Though  formed  within  the  womb  of  night, 
Bright  as  their  Sire  they  shine,  with  native  rays  of  light. 

YALDEN. — Hymn  to  Darkness. 


64  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

That  the  Alexandrine  has  great  beauty  at  the  close  of 
a  stanza  where  majesty  is  requisite,  must  be  obvious  to 
all.  GRAY'S  Ode  to  Adversity,  already  quoted  (§  7)  for 
another  purpose,  furnishes  a  good  example  of  its  use  at 
the  end  of  the  stanza  of  eight  lines  of  four  Iambuses.  His 
Ode  on  the  Progress  of  Poesy  furnishes  some  Alexan 
drines,  among  the  most  musical  as  well  as  most  majestic 
in  the  whole  range  of  English  poetry.  I  cannot  forbear 
quoting  the  following  examples  : 

Far  from  the  sun  and  summer  gale, 

In  thy  green  lap  was  Nature's  darling  laid  ; 

What  time,  where  lucid  Avon  strayed, 

To  him  the  mighty  mother  did  unveil 

Her  awful  face  ;  the  dauntless  child 

Stretched  forth  his  little  arms,  and  spiled.          —  i 

This* pencil  take  (she  said)  whose  colours  clear 

Richly  paint  the  vernal  year  ; 

Thine  too  these  golden  keys,  immortal  boy  ; 

This  can  unlock  the  gates  of  joy  ; 

Of  horrpr  that,. and  thrilling  fears,     ^.     _^ 

Or  ope  the  sacred  source  of  sympathetic  tears. 

Nor  second  he  that  rode  sublime 
Upon  the  seraph-wings  of  ecstasy, 
The  secrets  of  the  abyss  to  spy. 
He  passed  the  flaming  bounds  of  place  and  time  ; 
The  living  throne,  the  sapphire  blaze, 
Where  angels  tremble  while  they  gaze, 
He  saw,  but  blasted  with  excess  of  light, 
Closed  his  eyes  in  endless  night. 
Behold  where  Dryden's  less  presumptuous  car 
Wide  o'er  the  fields  of  glory  bear 
Two  coursers  of  etherealj^ce,    ^    ^^  ^  ^.v, 
With  necks  in  thunder  clothed,  and  long  resounding  pace. 

Part  II.  Stanzas  1  and  2. 

Of  the  use  of  the   Alexandrine  at  the  close  of  the 
Spenserian  stanza,  one  example  will  suffice  : 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES. 


65 


Shall  I  be  left  abandoned  in  the  dust, 

When  Fate  relenting,  lets  the  flower  revive? 
Shall  nature's  voice,  to  man  alone  unjust, 

Bid  him,  though  doomed  to  perish,  hope  to  live  ? 

Is  it  for  this  fair  virtue  oft  must  strive 
With  disappointment,  penury,  and  pain] 

No  ;  Heaven's  immortal  spring  shall  yet  arrive, 
And  man's  majestic  beauty  bloom  again, 
Bright  through  the  eternal  year  of  Love's  triumphant  reign. 

BEAT/TIE'S  Minstrel. 


The  Spenserian  was  a  favourite  stanza  with  Dr. 
Beattie,  who  declares  that  "  it  admits  both  simplicity  and 
magnificence  of  sound  and  of  language,  beyond  any  other 
stanza  he  is  acquainted  with."  This  is  not  in  accordance 
with  the  opinion  of  Dryden,  who  regards  the  quatrain  of 
the  heroic  line  as  surpassing  all  the  other  stanzas  in 
majesty.  The  greater  part  of  refined  ears  will,  I  think, 
pronounce  in  favour  of  Dr.  Beattie's  opinion.  But  what 
ever  may  be  the  merit  of  this  stanza  in  point  of  majesty, 
as  compared  with  the  quatrain,  it  must  be  obvious  that  the 
Alexandrine  at  the  close  adds  majesty  to  a  stanza  in  other 
respects  majestic.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  this  line 
is  never  admitted  into  blank  verse.  Nor  is  it  easy  to 
discover  why  a  species  of  measure  that  admits  of  so  many 
licenses  has  denied  itself  the  use  of  a  line  so  well  suited 
to  the  fullness  of  expression  required  in  blank  verse. 

The  Alexandrine  was  formerly  employed,  like  our 
heroic  measure,  in  consecutive  lines,  and  carried  through 
an  entire  piece.  But  this  has  been  long  laid  aside  as  un 
wieldy.  One  of  the  happiest  examples  of  the  use  of  this 
measure  occurs  in  DRAYTON'S  Description  of  a  Stag-Hunt. 
As  this  measure  is  of  rare  occurrence,  even  among  the 
older  poets,  we  shall  give  the  greater  part  of  this  piece, 
omitting  the  introduction  : 


66  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

Now  when  the  hart  doth  hear 
The  often-bellowing  hounds  to  vent  his  secret  lair, 
He  rousing  rusheth  out,  and  through  the  brakes  doth  drive, 
As  though  up  by  the  roots  the  bushes  he  would  rive. 
And  through  the  cumb'rous  thicks,  as  fearfully  he  makes, 
He  with  his  branched  head  the  tender  saplings  shakes, 
That  sprinkling  their  moist  pearl  do  seem  for  him  to  weep  ; 
When  after  goes  the  cry,  with  yellings  loud  and  deep, 
That  all  the  forest  rings,  and  every  neighbouring  place  : 
And  there  is  not  a  hound  but  falleth  to  the  chase. 
Rechating  with  his  horn,  which  then  the  hunter  cheers, 
Whilst  still  the  lusty  stag  his  high-palm'd  head  upbears, 
His  body  showing  state,  with  unbent  knees  upright, 
Expressing  from  all  beasts,  his  courage  in  his  flight. 
But  when  th'  approaching  foes  still  following  he  perceives, 
That  he  his  speed  must  trust,  his  usual  walk  he  leaves, 
And  o'er  the  champain  flies  ;  which  when  the  assembly  find, 
Each  follows,  as  his  horse  were  footed  with  the  wind. 
But  being  then  imbost,  the  noble  stately  deer 
When  he  hath  gotten  ground  (the  kennel  cast  arrear) 
Doth  beat  the  brooks  and  ponds  for  sweet  refreshing  soil ; 
That  serving  not,  then  proves  if  he  his  scent  can  foil, 
And  makes  amongst  the  herds,  and  flocks  of  shag-wooled  sheep, 
Them  frighting  from  the  guard  of  those  who  had  their  keep. 
But  when  as  all  his  shifts  his  safety  still  denies, 
Put  quite  out  of  his  walk,  the  ways  and  fallows  tries  ; 
Whom  when  the  ploughman  meets,  his  team  he  letteth  stand, 
T'  assail  him  with  his  goad :  so  with  his  hook  in  hand, 
The  shepherd  him  pursues,  and  to  his  dog  doth  hallow, 
When,  with  tempestuous  speed,  the  hounds  and  huntsmen  follow, 
Until  the  noble  deer,  through  toil  bereaved  of  strength, 
His  long  and  sinewy  legs  then  failing  him  at  length, 
The  villages  attempts,  enraged,  not  giving  way 
To  any  thing  he  meets  now  at  his  sad  decay. 
The  cruel  ravenous  hounds  and  bloody  hunters  near, 
This  noblest  beast  of  chase,  that  vainly  doth  but  fear, 
Some  bank  or  quick-set  finds ;  to  which  his  haunch  opposed, 
He  turns  upon  his  foes,  that  soon  have  him  inclosed. 
The  churlish-throated  hounds  then  holding  him  at  bay, 
And  as  their  cruel  fangs  on  his  harsh  skin  they  lay, 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC  MEASURES.  67 

With  his  sharp-pointed  head  he  dealeth  deadly  wounds. 
The  hunter,  coming  in  to  help  his  wearied  hounds, 
He  desperately  assails  ;  until  opprest  by  force, 
He,  who  the  mourner  is  to  his  own  dying  corse, 
Upon  the  ruthless  earth  his  precious  tears  lets  fall 
To  forests  that  belongs. 

I  cannot  dismiss  this  part  of  the  subject  without  quoting 
an  example  of  a  happy  use  of  two  Alexandrines  rhyming 
with  each  other,  from  NEAL'S  American  Eagle.  This 
may  justly  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  happiest  efforts  of 
the  American  Muse.  I  will  cite  the  last  twelve  lines : 

That  monarch  Bird  !  she  slumbers  in  the  night 
Upon  the  lofty  air-peak's  utmost  height  ; 
Or  sleeps  upon  the  wing,  amid  the  ray 
Of  steady,  cloudless,  everlasting  day  : — 
Rides  with  the  Thunderer  in  his  blazing  march, 
And  bears  his  lightnings  o'er  yon  boundless  arch ; 
Soars  wheeling  through  the  storm,  and  screams  away, 
Where  the  young  pinions  of  the  morning  play  ; 
Broods  with  her  arrows  in  the  hurricane  ; 
Bears  her  green  laurel  o'er  the  starry  plain, 
And  sails  around  the  skies,  and  o'er  the  rolling  deeps, 
With  still  unwearied  wing,  and  eye  that  never  sleeps. 

Here  all  the  lines  except  the  last  two  are  composed  of 
Iambuses,  varied  by  Trochees  and  Spondees,  a  measure 
full  of  dignity  and  majesty  ;  but  even  this  measure  was 
too  tame  to  express  the  lofty  flight  of  the  bird  of  our  ban 
ner,  as  she  bears  the  stars  around  the  world  ;  the  poet 
closes  by  two  Alexandrines,  which  in  strength  and  majesty 
are  not  excelled  by  Gray  or  Dryden. 

§  13.   The  line  of  seven  Iambuses. 

The  eleventh  species  of  Iambic  measure  is  the  line  of 
seven  feet.  It  is  now  divided  into  two  lines,  the  first  four 


68  QUANTITY.  [TIT.   I. 

feet  forming  the  first  line,  and  the  remaining  three  feet 
the  second  line.  Two  lines  of  seven  feet  form  in  this 
manner  a  stanza  of  four  lines,  the  first  and  third  contain 
ing  four  feet  and  the  second  and  fourth  containing  three 
feet.  The  second  and  fourth  are  of  course  the  only  lines 
that  rhyme.  This  is  a  favourite  stanza  with  the  English 
poets.  The  seven  feet  were  thrown  into  one  line,  the  cee- 
sura  always  falling  after  the  fourth  foot,  till  near  the  end 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  when  two  lines  were  broken 
down  into  a  stanza  of  four  lines,  which  form  it  has  since 
generally  retained.  It  is,  in  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Johnson, 
"  the  most  soft  and  pleasing  of  our  lyric  measures."  It 
possesses  terseness,  and  what  the  French  call  nettett,  in  a 
high  degree.  The  Iliad  was  translated  into  this  measure 
by  CHAPMAN,  and  the  JEneid  by  PHAER.  It  is  now  con 
fined  mostly  to  lyric  poetry,  and  some  of  our  choicest 
morsels  are  in  this  measure.  Among  these  may  be  men 
tioned  ADDISON'S  Hymn  on  Gratitude,  COWPER'S  John 
Gilpin,  and  COLERIDGE'S  Three  Graves.  The  Hymn  022 
Gratitude  will  show  the  capacities  of  this  stanza  : 

li      _       /    l/  f  tf>      **tW  i  ••  i/ 

When  all  thy  mercies,  O  my  God ! 

My  rising  soul  surveys, 
Transported  with  the  view,  I'm  lost 

In.  wonder, love,  and  praise. 

O  how  shall  words,  with  equal  warmth, 

The  gratitude  declare, 
That  glows  within  my  ravished  heart  1 

But  thou  canst  read  it  there. 

Thy  providence  my  life  sustained, 

And  all  my  wants  redressed, 
When  in  the  silent  womb  I  lay 

And  hung  upon  the  breast. 

To  all  my  weak  complaints  and  cries, 
Thy  mercy  lent  an  ear, 


CHAP.  I.J  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  69 

Ere  yet  my  feeble  thoughts  had  learned 
To  form  themselves  in  prayer. 

Unnumbered  comforts  to  my  soul 

Thy  tender  care  bestowed, 
Before  my  infant  heart  conceived 

From  whom  those  comforts  flowed. 

When  in  the  slippery  paths  of  youth, 

With  heedless  steps,  I  ran, 
Thine  arm,  unseen,  conveyed  me  safe, 

And  led  me  up  to  man. 

Through  hidden  dangers,  toils  and  death, 

It  gently  cleared  my  way  ; 
And  through  the  pleasing  snares  of  vice, 

More  to  be  feared  than  they. 

When  worn  with  sickness,  oft  hast  Thou, 

With  health  renewed  my  face  ; 
And  when  in  sins  and  sorrow  sunk, 

Revived  my  soul  with  grace. 

Thy  bounteous  hand,  with  worldly  bliss, 

Has  made  my  cup  run  o'er ; 
And,  in  a  kind  and  faithful  friend 

Has  doubled  all  my  store. 

Ten  thousand  thousand  precious  gifts, 

My  daily  thanks  employ  ; 
Nor  is  the  least  a  cheerful  heart, 

That  tastes  those  gifts  with  joy. 

Through  ev'ry  period  of  my  life, 

Thy  goodness  I'll  pursue  ; 
And,  after  death,  in  distant  worlds, 

The  glorious  theme  renew. 

When  nature  fails,  and  day  and  night 

Divide  thy  works  no  more, 
My  ever  grateful  heart,  O  Lord ! 

Thy  mercy  shall  adore. 
4* 


70  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  J. 

Through  all  eternity,  to  thee 

A  joyful  song  I'll  raise  ; 
For  O  !  eternity's  too  short 

To  utter  all  thy  praise. 

ADDISON. 

This  stanza  is  admirably  adapted  to  quaint  subjects, 
and  it  is  for  this  reason  that  many  of  the  old  ballads  are 
written  in  this  measure.  Among  these  BURNS'  John  Bar 
leycorn  holds  no  mean  place  ;  and  as  it  shows  the  capaci 
ties  of  this  stanza  in  the  treatment  of  quaint  subjects,  be 
sides  possessing  great  intrinsic  merit,  it  is  given  entire  : 

There  were  three  kings  into  the  east, 

Three  kings  both  great  and  high, 
An'  they  hae  sworn  a  solemn  oath 

John  Barleycorn  should  die. 

They  took  a  plough  and  ploughed  him  down, 

Put  clods  upon  his  head, 
And  they  hae  sworn  a  solemn  oath 

John  Barleycorn  was  dead. 

But  the  cheerful  spring  came  kindly  on, 

And  showers  began  to  fall  ; 
John  Barleycorn  got  up  again, 

And  sore  surprised  them  all. 

The  sultry  suns  of  summer  came, 

And  he  grew  thick  and  strong, 
His  head  weel  armed  wi'  pointed  spears, 

That  no  one  should  him  wrong. 

The  sober  autumn  entered  mild, 

When  he  grew  wan  and  pale  ; 
His  bending  joints  and  stooping  head 

Showed  he  began  to  fail. 

His  colour  sickened  more  and  more, 
He  faded  into  age  ; 


CHAP.  I.J  IAMBIC   MEASURES.  71 

And  then  his  enemies  began 
To  show  their  deadly  rage. 

They've  ta'en  a  weapon  long  and  sharp, 

And  cut  him  by  the  knee  ; 
And  ty'd  him  fast  upon  a  cart, 

Like  a  rogue  for  forgerie. 

They  laid  him  down  upon  his  back, 

And  cudgelled  him  full  sore  ; 
They  hung  him  up  before  the  storm, 

And  turned  him  o'er  and  o'er. 

They  filled  up  a  darksome  pit 

With  water  to  the  brim, 
They  heaved  in  John  Barleycorn, 

There  let  him  sink  or  swim. 

They  laid  him  out  upon  the  floor, 

To  work  him  farther  wo, 
And  still  as  signs  of  life  appeared, 

They  tossed  him  to  and  fro. 

They  wasted  o'er  a  scorching  flame, 

The  marrow  of  his  bones  ; 
But  a  miller  used  him  worst  of  all, 

For  he  crushed  him  between  two  stones. 

And  they  hae  ta'en  his  very  heart's  blood, 

And  drank  it  round  and  round  ; 
And  still  the  more  and  more  they  drank, 

Their  joy  did  more  abound. 

John  Barleycorn  was  a  hero  bold, 

Of  noble  enterprise, 
For  if  you  do  but  taste  his  blood  { 

'Twill  make  your  courage  rise. 

'Twill  make  a  man  forget  his  wo  ; 

'Twill  heighten  all  his  joy  ; 
'Twill  make  the  widow's  heart  to  sing, 

Tho'  the  tear  were  in  her  eye. 


72  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

Then  let  us  toast  John  Barleycorn, 

Each  man  a  glass  in  hand  ; 
And  may  his  great  posterity 

Ne'er  fail  in  old  Scotland ! 

In  farther  illustration  of  this  interesting  measure,  I 
cannot  deny  myself  the  pleasure  of  quoting  a  few  lines 
from  one  of  the  ingenious  Lays  of  Ancient  Rome,  by  Mr. 
MACAULAY.  The  scene  is  laid  near  four  hundred  years 
after  the  founding  of  the  city.  The  form  of  the  line  is 
retained  without  breaking  it  into  stanzas : 

Over  the  Alban  mountains  the  light  of  morning  broke  ; 

From  all  the  roofs  of  the  Seven  Hills  curled  the  thin  wreaths  of  smoke  ; 

The  city  gates  were  opened  ;  the  Forum,  all  alive, 

With  buyers  and  with  sellers,  was  humming  like  a  hive. 

Blithely  on  brass  and  timber  the  craftsman's  stroke  was  ringing, 

And  blithely  o'er  her  panniers  the  market-girl  was  singing, 

And  blithely  young  Virginia  came  smiling  from  her  home  : 

Ah !  wo  for  young  Virginia,  the  sweetest  maid  in  Rome  ! 

With  her  small  tablets  in  her  hand,  and  her  satchel  on  her  arm, 

Forth  she  went  bounding  to  the  school,  nor  dreamed  of  shame  or  harm. 

She  crossed  the  Forum,  shining  with  stalls  in  alleys  gay, 

And  just  had  reached  the  very  spot  whereon  I  stand  this  day, 

When  up  the  varlet  Marcus  came  ;  not  such  as  when  erewhile 

He  crouched  behind  his  patron's  heels  with  the  true  client  smile  : 

He  came  with  lowering  forehead,  swollen  features,  and  clenched  fist, 

And  strode  across  Virginia's  path,  and  caught  her  by  the  wrist. 

Hard  strove  the  frighted  maiden,  and  screamed  with  look  aghast ; 

And  at  her  scream  from  right  and  left  the  folk  came  running  fast ; 

The  money-changer  Crispus,  with  his  thin  silver  hairs, 

And  Hanno  from  the  stately  booth  glittering  with  Punic  wares, 

And  the  strong  smith  Murasna,  grasping  a  half-forged  brand, 

And  Volero  the  flesher,  his  cleaver  in  his  hand, 

All  came  in  wrath  and  wonder ;  for  all  knew  that,  fair  child  ; 

And,  as  she  passed  them  twice  a  day,  all  kissed  their  hands  and  smiled 

And  the  strong  smith  Mursna  gave  Marcus  such  a  blow, 

The  caitiff  reeled  three  paces  back,  and  let  the  maiden  go. 


CHAP.  .[.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  73 

As  several  of  SCOTT'S  specimens  of  the  "  Minstrelsy  of 
the  Scottish  Border"  are  in  this  measure,  we  will  give 
one  example  from  that  curious  collection  of  ancient  bal 
lads.  In  this  piece,  the  quaintness  of  the  subject  is  ad 
mirably  adapted  to  the  measure  : 

Lord  William  was  the  bravest  knight 

That  dwalt  in  fair  Scotland, 
And  though  renowned  in  France  and  Spain, 

Fell  by  a  ladie's  hand  ! 

And  she  was  walking  maid  alone, 

Down  by  yon  shady  wood, 
She  heard  a  smit  o'  bridle  reins, 

She  wished  might  be  for  good. 

"  Come  to  my  arms,  rny  dear  Willie, 

You're  welcome  hame  to  me  ; 

To  best  o'  cheer  and  charcoal  red, 

And  candle  burning  free." — 

"  I  winna  light,  I  darena  light, 

Nor  come  to  your  arms  at  a' ; 
A  fairer  maid  than  ten  o'  you 
I'll  meet  at  Castle-law." — 

"  A  fairer  maid  than  me,  Willie ! 

A  fairer  maid  than  me ! 
A  fairer  maid  than  ten  o'  me 
Your  eyes  did  never  see." — 

He  louted  ower  his  saddle  lap, 

To  kiss  her  ere  (hey  part, 
And  wi'  a  little  keen  bodkin, 

She  pierced  him  to  the  heart. 

"  Ride  on,  ride  on,  Lord  William,  now, 

As  fast  as  ye  can  dree  ! 
Your  bonnie  lass  at  Castle-law 
Will  weary  you  to  see." — 


74  QUANTITY.  [TIT. 

Out  up  then  spake  a  bonny  bird, 

Sat  high  upon  a  tree, — 
"  How  could  you  kill  that  noble  lord, 
Who  came  to  marry  thee  1" — 

"  Come  down,  come  down,  my  bonny  bird, 

And  eat  bread  affmy  hand ! 
Your  cage  shall  be  of  wiry  goud, 
Whar  now  it's  but  the  wand." 

"  Keep  ye  your  cage  o'  goud,  lady, 

And  I  will  keep  my  tree  ; 
As  ye  hae  done  to  Lord  William, 
Sae  wad  ye  do  to  me." 

She  set  her  foot  on  her  door  step, 

A  bonny  marble  stane  ; 
And  carried  him  to  her  chamber, 

O'er  him  to  make  her  mane. 

And  she  has  kept  that  good  lord's  corpse 

Three  quarters  of  a  year, 
Until  that  word  began  to  spread, 

Then  she  began  to  fear. 

Then  she  cried  on  her  waiting  maid, 

Aye  ready  at  her  ca', 
"  There  is  a  knight  into  my  bower, 
'Tis  time  he  were  awa  !" — 

The  ane  has  ta'en  him  by  the  head, 

The  ither  by  the  feet, 
And  thrown  him  in  the  wan  water, 

That  ran  baith  wide  and  deep. 

"  Look  back,  look  back,  now  lady  fair, 

On  him  that  lo'ed  ye  weel ! 
A  better  man  than  that  blue  corpse 
N'er  drew  a  sword  of  steel." — 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  75 

§  14.    The   line   of  seven  Iambuses  followed   ly  a  snort 

syllable. 

The  twelfth  and  longest  species  of  Iambic  verse  con 
sists  of  seven  feet,  with  a  short  syllable  added.  It  is 
only  used  where  an  additional  short  syllable  is  added  to 
the  line  of  seven  feet,  and,  except  in  burlesque  pieces,  it 
detracts  from  the  beauty  of  that  line.  Some  examples 
from  COLERIDGE'S  Three  Graves  will  suffice  to  show  the 
justness  of  this  remark: 

The  wind  was  wild  ;  against  the  glass 

The  rain  did  beat  and  bicker  ; 
The  church-tower  swinging  overhead, 

You  scarce  could  hear  the  vicar ! 
Again  : 

There  was  a  hurry  in  her  looks, 
Her  struggles  she  redoubled  ; 
"  It  was  a  wicked  woman's  curse, 

And  why  should  I  be  troubled  1" 
Again  : 

Had  Ellen  lost  her  mirth  ?  Oh  !  no  ! 

But  she  was  seldom  cheerful  ; 
And  Edward  looked  as  if  he  thought 

That  Ellen's  mirth  was  fearful. 
Again  : 

Then  harder,  till  her  grasp  at  length 

Did  gripe  like  a  convulsion ! 

Alas!  said  she,  we  ne'er  can  be 

Made  happy  by  compulsion  ! 

So  gentle  Ellen  now  no  more 

Could  make  this  sad  house  cheery  ; 
And  Mary's  melancholy  ways 

Drove  Edward  wild  and  weary. 

The  use  of  this  measure,  in  a  tale  of  wo,  like  that  from 
which  we  have  taken  these  examples,  is  entirely  out  of 


76  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

place ;  the  additional  short  syllable  at  the  end  of  the 
second  and  the  fourth  lines,  gives  an  air  of  burlesque  to 
the  whole  performance.  This  measure  is  appropriate 
only  when  the  subject  is  humorous  or  satiric,  and  then  it 
adds  greatly,  as  the  short  syllable  always  does,  to  the 
briskness  required  in  the  treatment  of  such  subjects.  It 
is  for  this  reason,  that  many  humorous  ballads  have  been 
written  in  this  measure.  When  the  subjects  of  these 
ballads  are  serious,  the  measure  last  treated  of  (§  13)  is 
preferable,  and  that  is  the  measure  employed  in  most  of 
the  old  ballads. 

The  following  example  from  PERCY'S  Reliques  is 
written  in  this  measure,  but  as  the  subject  is  a  doleful 
one,  it  would  have  been  far  more  appropriately  treated  in 
the  measure  of  the  preceding  section. 

BARBARA  ALLEN. 

In  Scarlet  towne,  where  I  was  borne, 
There  was  a  laire  maiddwemn,        \ 

Made  every  youth  crye,  "  Wel-awaye  !" 
Her  name:  was  Barbara  Allen. 

All  in  the  merrye  month  of  May, 

When  greene  buds  they  were  swellin, 

Yong  Jemmye  Grove  on  his  death-bed  lay, 
For  love  of  Barbara  Allen. 

He  sent  his  man  unto  her  then, 

To  the  town  where  shee  was  dwellin  ; 
"  You  must  come  to  my  master  deare, 
Giffyour  name  be  Barbara  Allen. 

For  death  is  printed  on  his  face, 

And  ore  his  harte  is  stealin  : 
Then  haste  away  to  comfort  him, 

O  lovelye  Barbara  Allen." 


CHAP.  1.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  77 

"  Though  death  be  printed  on  his  face, 

And  ore  his  harte  is  stealin, 
Yet  little  better  shall  he  bee, 
For  bonny  Barbara  Allen." 

So  slowly,  slowly,  she  came  up, 

And  slowly  she  came  nye  him  ; 
And  all  she  sayd,  when  there  she  came, 

"  Yong  man,  I  think  y'are  dying." 

He  turned  his  face  unto  her  straight, 

With  deadlye  sorrow  sighing  ; 
"  O  lovely  maid,  come  pity  mee, 
Ime  on  my  deth-bed  lying." 

"  If  on  your  death-bed  you  doe  lye 

What  needs  the  tale  you  are  tellin  ; 
I  cannot  keep  you  from  your  death  ; 
Farewell,"  sayd  Barbara  Allen. 

He  turned  his  face  unto  the  wall, 

As  deadlye  pangs  he  fell  in  : 
"  Adieu  !  adieu  !  adieu  to  you  all, 
Adieu  to  Barbara  Allen." 


As  she  was  walking  ore  the  fields, 

She  heard  a  bell  a  knellin  ; 
And  every  stroke  did  seem  to  saye, 

"  Unworthye  Barbara  Allen  !" 

She  turned  her  bodye  round  about, 

And  spied  the  corps  a  coming : 
Laye  down,  laye  down  the  corps,"  she  sayd, 

"  That  I  may  look  upon  him." 

With  scornful  eye  she  looked  downe, 
Her  cheeke  with  laughter  swellin  ; 

Whilst  all  her  friends  cryd  out  amaine, 
"  Unworthye  Barbara  Allen  !" 


78  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i, 

When  he  was  dead,  and  laid  in  grave, 
Her  harte  was  struck  with  sorrowe, 
"  O  mother,  mother,  make  my  bed, 
For  I  shall  die  to-morrowe. 

Hard-hearted  creature  him  to  slight, 

Who  loved  me  so  dearlye : 
O  that  I  had  beene  more  kind  to  him, 

When  he  was  alive  and  neare  me  !" 

She,  on  her  death-bed  as  she  laye, 

Beg'd  to  be  buried  by  him  ; 
And  sore  repented  of  the  daye, 

That  she  did  ere  denye  him. 

"  Farewell,"  she  sayd,  "ye  virgins  all, 

And  shun  the  fault  I  fell  in  : 
Henceforth  take  warning  by  the  fall 
Of  cruel  Barbara  Allen." 


§  15.   General  Remarks  on  the  Iambus. 

We  have  now  given  an  account  sufficiently  complete  of 
the  use  of  the  Iambic  foot,  and  of  the  various  lines  which 
it  forms.  In  the  previous  examples  of  the  Iambic  line,  there 
are  various  intermixtures  of  other  feet ;  but  the  Iambus 
forms  the  groundwork,  and  the  other  feet  are  intermixed 
only  for  the  sake  of  variety.  Isolated  examples  may  be 
found  of  lines  composed  of  a  single  Iambus,  and  even  of  a 
single*  long  syllable  ;  but  these  are  licenses  not  sanctioned 
by  good  usage,  and  are  blemishes  upon  any  work  whether 
serious  or  comic.  It  must  have  been  remarked  that  the 
briskness  of  the  measure  is  always  increased  by  short 
syllables,  and  lessened  by  long  ones.  So  true  is  it  that 
the  short  syllable  increases  the  rapidity  of  the  movement, 

*  Fall  of  Hebe,  by  T.  MOORE. 


CHAP.  I.]  IAMBIC    MEASURES.  79 

that  a  line  of  three  Iambuses  or  a  line  of  four  Iambuses,  is 
rendered  more  sprightly  by  the  addition  of  a  short  sylla 
ble,  though  the  time  required  to  utter  it  is  thereby  neces 
sarily  increased.  All  those  lines,  therefore,  which  take 
a  short  syllable  at  the  end,  and  which  are  sometimes  on 
that  account  called  Amphibrachic,  are  admirably  adapted 
to  trivial,  gay,  familiar,  humorous,  or  burlesque  subjects. 
They  are,  on  the  contrary,  so  inconsistent  with  serious 
or  dignified  subjects,  that  they  never  fail,  when  employed 
on  these  subjects,  if  not  to  give  them  a  burlesque  effect, 
to  detract  at  least  from  the  dignity  which  such  subjects 
ought  always  to  maintain.  The  reason  of  this  seems  to 
be  that  we  never  dwell  on  a  short  syllable,  nor  can  we 
do  this  without  an  effort.  The  voice  slides  over  it,  and 
hurries  on  to  the  next  word.  A  long  syllable,  on  the 
other  hand,  arrests  the  voice,  and  forces  the  reader  to 
dwell  upon  it.  I  would  bespeak  the  attention  of  the  stu 
dent  to  these  remarks,  as  they  will  be  of  great  use  to  him 
in  the  study  of  English  poetry,  particularly  that  of  the 
lyric  kind.  I  would  also  call  his  attention  to  the  exist 
ence  of  the  principle  above  mentioned  in  Trochaic  verse, 
where  he  will  not  fail  to  observe  that  the  long  syllable  so 
frequently  added  to  this  verse  always  imparts  to  it  an  air 
of  dignity,  solemnity,  or  sadness.  I  dwell  the  longer  on 
this  subject,  that  it  has  never  been  stated  with  sufficient 
distinctness,  nor  insisted  on  so  much  as  it  deserves  to  be. 
It  is  a  principle  pretty  generally  practised  on  by  our  best 
poets,  but  some  of  them  have  erred  egregiously  in  the 
choice  of  their  measures.  It  is  time  that  the  nature  of 
these  measures  should  be  distinctly  understood.  We 
shall  soon  come  to  a  consideration  of  the  several  Trochaic 
lines,  and  the  examples  which  we  shall  give  will  fully 
sustain  the  correctness  of  these  remarks. 

It  must  have  been  observed,  not  only  that  the  Iambus 


80  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

is  capable  of  forming  a  great  variety  of  lines,  but  these 
lines  are  capable  of  a  great  number  of  different  combina 
tions  into  stanzas.  Though  we  have  given  several  dif 
ferent  kinds  of  stanza  under  almost  every  section,  it  must 
not  be  supposed  that  we  have  given  all.  The  variety 
of  stanzas  in  English  verse  is  almost  unlimited,  and  to 
attempt  to  give  all,  would  be  an  endless  task.  All  we 
can  do  is  to  give  the  principal,  and  for  rules  on  this  head 
refer  the  student  to  the  writings  of  the  best  poets.  It  is 
proper  to  observe  that  almost  all  the  stanzas  are  capable 
of  being  carried  on,  that  is,  the  sense  may  be  carried 
from  one  to  the  next.  The  Spenserian,  being  a  long 
stanza  and  closing  with  an  Alexandrine,  generally  com 
pletes  the  sense.  The  triplet  stanza  (§  7)  also  generally 
completes  the  sense. 


CHAPTER  II. 

TROCHAIC     MEASURES. 

§  16.   Quantity  of  the  Trochee. 

THE  Trochee  consists  of  two  syllables,  the  first  long 
and  the  last  short.  Before  proceeding  to  the  purely 
Trochaic  line,  we  will  give  a  few  examples  of  its  use  as 
a  secondary  foot  employed  for  the  sake  of  variety  in 
heroic  measure.  And  here  it  must  not  be  employed  in 
discriminately.  It  is  not  allowable  either  in  the  second 
or  the  fifth  place  of  the  heroic  line.  It  has  peculiar 
beauty  in  the  first  place,  particularly  when  followed  by  a 
Spondee,  and  is  admissible  in  the  third  and  the  fourth 
places.  The  following  are  examples  of  a  Trochee  in  the 
first  place : 


CHAP.  II.]        TROCHAIC  MEASURES.  81 

Warms  in  the  sun,  refreshes  In  the  breeze, 
Glows  in  the  stars  and  blossoms  in  the  trees, 
Lives  through  all  life,  extends  through  all  extent 
Spreads  undivided,  operates  unspent. 

Again : 

Longer  thy  offered  good  ;  why  else  set  here  1 

In  the  third  place,  the  effect  is  less  agreeable : 
Forbid  who  will,  none  shall  from  me  withhold. 

In  the  fourth  place,  the  effect  is  not  more  happy : 
Could  not  but  taste.     Forthwith  up  to  the  clouds. 

Again  : 

Than  when  fair  morning  first  smiles  on  the  world. 


§  17.  The  line  of  a  single  Trochee. 

We  now  proceed  to  the  first  and  shortest  species  of 
the  purely  Trochaic  line.  This  is  the  single  Trochee. 
It  will  readily  be  perceived  that  this  line  can  never  be 
continued  for  any  considerable  extent,  and  its  occur 
rence  in  isolated  instances  is  exceedingly  rare.  It  adds 
a  briskness  to  the  piece,  on  account  of  the  frequent  recur 
rence  of  the  rhymes,  as  well  as  the  sprightliness  of  the 
short  syllable  at  the  close  of  this  foot.  The  following 
example,  with  the  context,  will  show  the  ingenuity  of  this 
measure  and  its  effect,  which  is  remarkably  happy : 

From  walk  to  walk,  from  shade  to  shade, 
From  stream  to  purling  stream  conveyed, 
Through  all  the  mazes  of  the  grove, 
Through  all  the  mingling  tracks  I  rove, 

Turning, 

Burning, 


82  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  j. 

Changing, 
Ranging, 
Full  of  grief  and  full  of  love. 

ADDISON'S  Rosamond,  Act  I.  Scene  4. 

Nothing  could  more  fully  express  the   fickleness  and 
impatience  of  the  passion  of  Love,  than  this  example. 


§  18.   The  line  of  a  Trochee  followed  by  a  long  syllable. 

The  second  species  of  the  Trochaic  line  is  made  up  of 
one  Trochee  and  an  additional  long  syllable.  It  is  not  so 
rare  as  the  first  species,  but  still  it  is  very  uncommon. 
The  following  examples  show  the  beauty  of  this  measure 
when  intermingled  with  others  : 

Or  we  sometimes  pass  an  hour 

Under  a  green  willow, 
That  defends  us  from  the  shower, 
Making  earth  our  pillow  ; 
Where  we  may 
Think  and  pray, 
Before  death 
Stops  our  breath : 
Other  joys 
Are  but  toys, 
And  to  be  lamented. 

JOHN  CHALKHILL. 

Adieu  ye  wanton  shades  and  bowers, 
Wreaths  of  myrtle,  beds  of  flowers, 

Rosy  brakes, 

Silver  lakes, 

To  love  and  you 

A  long  adieu ! 

Eosamond,  Act  III.  Scene  1. 

Here  the  two  middle  lines  are  in  this  measure. 


CHAP.  II.]  TROCHAIC    MEASURES.  83 

Again : 

Mysterious  love,  uncertain  treasure, 

Hast  thou  more  of  pain  or  pleasure  ! 

Chiil'd  with  tears, 

Kill'd  with  fears, 

Endless  torments  dwell  about  thee  : 
Yet  who  would  live,  and  live  without  thee  ! 

Ibid.  Act  III.  Scene  2, 

Again : 

What  sounds  were  heard, 
What  scenes  appeared, 
O'er  all  the  dreary  c,gasts  ! 

l>rc;uiful  gleams, 

Dismal  screams, 

Fires  that  glow, 

Shrieks  of  wo, 

Sullen  moans, 

Hollow  groans, 
And  cries  of  tortured  ghosts. 

POPE'S  Ode  on  St.  Cecilia's  Day. 


§  19.   The  line  of  two  Trochees. 

The  third  species  of  the  Trochaic  line  is  made  up 
of  two  Trochees : 

Absence  wounds  me, 
Fear  surrounds  me, 
Guilt  confounds  me, 
Was  ever  passion  crossed  like  mine  1 

ADDISON'S  Rosamond,  Act  I.  Scene  4. 

Again : 

Oh,  the  pleasing,  pleasing  anguish, 
When  we  love  and  when  we  languish  ! 

Wishes  rising  ! 

Thoughts  surprising ! 

Pleasure  courting! 


84  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  K 

Charms  transporting ! 
Fancy  viewing 
Joys  ensuing ! 
Oh,  the  pleasing,  pleasing  anguish  ! 

Ibid.  Act  I.  Scene  6. 

The  fifth  and  sixth  lines  of  the  following  examples 
are  happy  examples  of  the  use  of  this  measure  among 
other  short  measures : 

COL.  O. — Oh  what  a  night  is  here  for  love  ! 

Cynthia  brightly  shining  above ; 

Among  the  trees, 

To  the  sighing  breeze, 

Fountains  tinkling ; 

Stars  a  twinkling : 
DIANA. — Oh  what  a  night  is  here  for  love ! 

So  may  the  morn  propitious  prove. 

ISAAC  BICKERSTAFF. 
Comic  Opera  of  Lionel  and  Clarissa,  Act  II.  Scene  3. 

This  measure  is  never  continued  through  a  piece,  but 
when  mingled  with  other  measures,  as  in  these  examples,  it 
adds  briskness  to  the  movement  and  has  a  very  happy  effect. 

This  remark  is  happily  illustrated  by  the  following 
example,  in  which  this  line  is  combined  with  the  line  of 
four  Trochees : 

On  a  bank,  beside  a  willow, 
Heaven  her  covering,  earth  her  pillow, 
Sad  Amynta  sighed  alone : 
From  the  cheerless  dawn  of  morning, 
Till  the  dews  of  night  returning, 
Sighing  thus  she  made  her  moan  : 
'  Hope  is  banished 
Joys  are  vanished, 
Damon,  my  beloved,  is  gone  !' 

'  Time,  I  dare  thee  too  discover 
Such  a  youth,  and  such  a  lover  ; 


CHA.P-  It.]  TROCHAIC    MEASURES, 

Oh  !  BO  true,  so  kind  was  he  ! 
Damon  was  the  pride  of  Nature, 
Charming  in  his  every  feature  : 
Damon  lived  alone  for  me ; 

Melting  kisses, 

Murmuring  blisses ; 
Who  so  lived  and  loved  as  we  !' 

DRYDEN. — Tears  of  Amynta 

The  following  dialogue  between  Daphne  and  Nysa. 
being  part  of  a  quintette  in  Midas,  has  considerable  merit  : 

DAPH. — Mother,  sure  you  never 
Will  endeavour 
To  dissever 
From  my  favour 

So  sweet  a  swain  ; 
None  so  clever 

E'er  trod  the  plain. 
N YSA. — Father,  hopes  you  gave  her, 
Don't  deceive  her, 
Can  you  leave  her 
Sunk  forever 

In  pining  care  ? 
Haste  and  save  her 

From  black  despair. 
DAPH.— Think  of  his  modest  grace, 
His  voice,  shape,  and  face  ; 
NYSA. — Hearts  alarming, 
DAPH. — Bosoms  warming, 
NYSA. — Wrath  disarming 
DAPH. —        With  his  soft  lay  : 
NYSA. — He's  so  charming, 

Ay,  let  him  stay. 
BOTH. — He's  so  charming, 

Ay,  let  him  stay. 

§  20.   The  line  of  two  Trochees  followed  ly  a  long  syllable. 

The  fourth  species  of  the  Trochaic  line  is  composed 

of  two  Trochees  and  a  long   syllable.     This  is  of  rare 

5 


8$  {jfUANTITT.  [TIT.  T. 

occurrence,  and  is  generally  intermingled  with  other 
measures.  It  produces  a  slow  movement,,  and  is  suited  to 
sad  subjects. 

All  that's  bright  must  fade, — 

The  brightest  still  the  fleetest  ; 
All  that's  sweet  was  made 
But  to  be  lost  when  sweetest. 
***** 
Who  would  seek  or  prize 

Delights  that  end  in  aching? 
Who  would  trust  to  ties 

That  every  hour  are  breaking-? 

MOOP.E. — National  Airs, 

This  measure  is  not  agreeable  by  itself,  but  when 
alternating,  as  above,  with  lines  in  which  short  syllables 
preponderate,  it  forms  a  quatrain  of  great  beauty. 

§21.   The  line  of  three  Trochees. 

The  fifth  species  of  the  Trochaic  line  is  composed  o-f 
three  Trochees.  It  is  of  still  rarer  occurrence  than  the 
line  last  mentioned ;  and  is  never  continued  through  a 
piece,  but  is  intermingled  with  other  measures,  as  in  the 
following  example,  where  it  is  very  ingeniously  combined 
with  the  Iambic  line.  Every  third  line,  except  in  one  in 
stance,  is  composed  of  three  Iambuses,  and  all  the  rest  are 
composed  of  three  Trochees. 

Go  where  glory  waits  thee, 
But,  while  fame  elates  thee, 

Oh  !  still  remember  me. 
When  the  praise  thou  meetest 
To  thine  ear  is  sweetest, 

Oh  !  then  remember  me. 
Other  arms  may  press  thee, 
Dearer  friends  caress  thee, 
All  the  joys  that  bless  thee 

Sweeter  far  may  be  ; 


CHAP.  II.]  TROCHAIC    MEASURES.  87 


But  when  friends  are  nearest, 
And  when  joys  are  dearest, 
Oh  !  then  remember  me. 

MOORE. — Irish  Melodies. 


§  22.   The  line  of  three  Trochees  followed  ly  a  long  syllable. 

The  sixth  species  of  the  Trochaic  line  is  composed  of 
three  Trochees  and  an  additional  long  syllable.  It  is  of 
frequent  occurrence,  particularly  among  the  later  poets,  and 
is  often  continued  through  an  entire  piece.  It  has  a  sol 
emn  effect,  and  is  employed  with  great  propriety  in  the 
treatment  of  serious  subjects.  It  imparts  to  all  pieces 
more  dignity  than  any  of  the  other  short  measures.  It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  remark  that  no  trivial  or  humorous 
subject  should  be  treated  in  this  measure.  Besides  dig 
nity,  it  imparts  an  air  of  sadness  to  the  subject,  and  is 
therefore  very  properly  adopted  by  BYRON  in  his  Maid 
of  Athens. 

Maid  of  Athens,  ere  we  part, 

Give,  oh,  give  me  back  my  heart ! 

Or,  since  that  has  left  my  breast, 

Keep  it  now,  and  take  the  rest ! 

Hear  my  vow  before  I  go, 

Zco>7  juoi;  ffuj  dyairw. 

***** 

Maid  of  Athens  !  I  am  gone  ; 
Think  of  me,  sweet,  when  alone. 
Though  I  fly  to  Istambol, 
Athens  holds  my  heart  and  soul : 
Can  I  cease  to  love  thee  ?  No  ! 
Zw/7  juor)  ffds  dyintw. 

This  measure  is  peculiarly  calculated  to  express  en 
ergy  and  earnestness,  as  will  appear  by  the  following  well 
known  stanzas,  from  BURNS'  Bannockburn. 


83  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

Scots,  wha  hae  wi'  Wallace  bled, 
Scots,  wham  Bruce  has  often  led, 
Welcome  to  your  gory  bed, 
Or  to  glorious  victory. 

Now's  the  day,  and  novv's  the  hour; 
See  the  front  o'  battle  lower  ; 
See  approach  proud  Edward's  power, 
Edward  !  chains  and  slavery  ! 

Wha  will  be  a  traitor  knave  ? 
Wha  can  fill  a  coward's  grave  1 
Wha  sae  base  as  be  a  slave  1 

Traitor  !  coward  !  turn  and  flee  ! 

This  measure   is  better  calculated  than  any  other  for 
quaint  subjects.     The  following  is  a  very  happy  example  : 

CLAUD  HALCRO — Mother  darksome,  Mother  dread — 
Dweller  on  the  Fitful-head, 
Thou  canst  see  what  deeds  are  done 
Under  the  never  setting  sun. 
Look  through  sleet,  and  look  through  frost, 
Look  to  Greenland's  caves  and  coast, — 
"Ry  the  iceberg  is  a  sail 
Chasing  of  the  swarthy  whale  ; 
Mother  doubtful,  Mother  dread, 
Tell  us,  has  the  good  ship  sped? 

SCOTT. — Pirate,  ch.  xxi. 


Again : 


Menseful  maiden  ne'er  should  rise, 
Till  the  first  beam  tinge  the  skies  ; 
Silk-fringed  eyelids  still  should  close, 
Till  the  sun  has  kissed  the  rose  ; 
Maiden's  foot  we  should  not  view, 
Marked  with  tiny  print  on  dew, 
Till  the  opening  flowrets  spread 
Carpet  meet  for  beauty's  tread. 

Ibid,  ch.  xxiii. 


CHAP.  II.]        TROCHAIC  MEASURES.  69 

Milton,  in  his  Allegro,  has  very  ingeniously  alternated 
.  this  with  the  line  of  four  Iambuses.     As  this  method  of 
'employing  it  is  not  very  common,  we  shall  give  an  example 
from  I*  Allegro. 

Haste  thee,.nymnh,ind  bring  with  thee 


Quips,  andj^ranks,  andj,yanton  Wiles, 
itfocfs.lmd  Becks,  and  wreatlied  ^mUes, 
-SochUs  hangjm  Hefce'scheek, 
^tncrTove  to  live  ifTdimplp  sleek  ; 

-  j^  —       !—  •  4^-  *«MP*"^  ^/         »     !>•» 

Sport  that  wrinkled  Carejlerides,  _ 
.  An^  LalighYer  holding  both_his  sides  : 
Come  and  trijMtjjisjroujjo, 
OrTtfTe  light  fantastic  toe  ;  ,- 
.-.And  in  thy  right  hand  lead  with  thee, 
The  mountain  nymph,  sweet  Liberty  ; 
And,  if  I  give  thee  honour  due, 
Mirth,  admit  me  of  thy  crew, 
To  live  with  her,  and  live  with  thee, 
In  unreproved  pleasure  free  ; 
To  hear  the  lark  begin  his  flight, 
And  singing  startle  the  dull  Night 
From  his  watchtower  in  the  skies, 
Till  the  dappled  dawn  doth  rise  ; 
Then  to  come,  in  spite  of  Sorrow, 
And  at  my  window  bid  good  morrow 
Through  the  sweetbrier,  or  the  vine, 
Or  the  twisted  eglantine  : 
While  the  cock,  with  lively  din, 
Scatters  the  rear  of  darkness  thin  ; 
And  to  the  stack,  or  the  barn  door, 
Stoutly  struts  his  dames  before  : 
Oft  list'ning  how  the  hounds  and  horn 
Cheerly  rouse  the  slumbering  Morn, 
From  the  side  of  some  hoar  hill, 
Through  the  high  wood  echoing  shrill  ; 
Sometime  walking,  not  unseen, 
By  hedge-row  elms,  on  hillocks  green, 


90  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I, 

Right  against  the  eastern  gate, 

Where  the  great  sun  begins  his  state, 

Robed  in  flames,  and  amber  light, 

The  clouds  in  thousand  liveries  dight  ; 

While  the  ploughman,  near  at  hand, 

Whistles  o'er  the  furrowed  land, 

And  the  milk-maid  singeth  blithe, 

And  the  mower  whets  his  scythe, 

And  every  shepherd  tells  his  tale 

Under  the  hawthorn  in  the  dale. 

Straight  mine  eye  hath  caught  new  pleasures, 

Whilst  the  landscape  round  it  measures, 

Russet  lawns,  and  fallows  gray, 

Where  the  nibbling  flocks  do  stray, 

Mountains,  on  whose  barren  breast 

The  lab'ring  clouds  do  often  rest ; 

Meadows  trim  with  daises  pied, 

Shallow  brooks,  and  rivers  wide  ; 

Towers  and  battlements  it  sees 

Bosomed  high  in  tufted  trees, 

Where  perhaps  some  beauty  lies, 

The  cynosure  of  neighbouring  eyes. 


§  23.   The  line  of  four  Trochees. 

The  seventh  species  of  the  Trochaic  line  is  composed 
of  four  Trochees.  It  is  difficult  of  construction,  and  it  is 
without  doubt  for  this  reason  that  it  is  not  of  more  fre 
quent  occurrence.  It  is  the  most  agreeable  of  all  the 
Trochaic  measures,  and  is  remarkably  well  adapted  to 
lively  subjects.  Though  sometimes  carried  through  an 
entire  piece,  we  generally  meet  with  it  interspersed  among 
other  measures,  where,  by  giving  a  certain  hurry  to  the 
movement,  it  is  peculiarly  expressive  of  the  eagerness  and 
fickleness  of  the  passion  of  love.  The  well-known  pas 
sage  in  DRYDEN'S  Ode  on  St.  Cecilia's  Day  has  been  ad 
mired  by  every  critic  of  taste,  and  it  is  unquestionably 


CHAP.  II.  TROCHAIC    MEASURES.  91 

one  of  the  finest  specimens  of  Trochaic  verse,  as  well  as 
one  of  the  happiest  examples  of  the  adaptation  of  the 
metre  lo  the  subject,  that  is  to  be  found  in  the  English 
language. 

Softly  sweet  in  Lydian  measures, 
Soon  he  soothed  his  soul  to  pleasures, 
War,  he  sang,  is  toil  and  trouble.; 
Honour  but  an  empty  bubble  : 

Never  ending,  still  beginning, 
Fighting  still  and  still  destroying. 

If  the  world  be  worth  thy  winning, 
'Think,  Oh  !  think  it  worth  enjoying.; 

Lovely  Thais  sits  beside  thee  ; 

Take  the  goods  the  gods  provide  thee. 

CAMPBELL  has  written  a  choice  morsel,  mostly  in  this 
measure.  It  is  in  stanzas  of  six  lines,  the  first  three  and 
the  fifth  being  in  this  measure,  and  all  rhyming,  and  the 
fourth  and  the  sixth  containing  two  Trochees  and  an 
additional  long  syllable,  and  rhyming.  Witness  their 
beauty : 

Never  wedding,  ever  wooing, 
Still  a  love-lorn  heart  pursuing, 
Read  you  not  the  wrong  you're  doing, 

In  my  cheek's  pale  hue  ? 
All  my  life  with  sorrow  strewing, 

Wed,  or  cease  to  woo. 

Rivals  banish'd,  bosoms  plighted, 
Still  our  days  are  disunited  ; 
Now  the  lamp  of  hope  is  lighted, 

Now  half  quench'd  appears, 
Damp'd,  and  wavering,  and  benighted, 

Midst  my  sighs  and  tears. 

Charms  you  call  your  dearest  blessing, 
Lips  that  thrill  at  your  caressing, 


#2  QUANTITY,,  TfT,  f. 

Eyes  a  mutual  soul  confessing, 

Soon  you'll  make  them  grow 
Dim,,  and  worthless  your  possessing, 

Not  with  age,  but  woe  T 

The  following  from  BURNS,  of  a  nature  kindred  to  the 
preceding,  possesses  great  merit* 

Stay,  my  charmer,,  can  you  leave  me  I 

Cruel,  cruel  to  deceive  me  ! 

Well  you  know  how  much  you  grieve  me  ; 

Cruel  charmer,  can  you  go  1 

Cruel  charmerr  can  you  go  1 

By  my  love  so  ill  requited  ; 

By  the  faith  you  fondly  plighted; 

By  the  pangs  of  lovers  slighted  ; 

Do  not,  do  not  leave  me  so  ? 

Do  not,  do  not  leave  me  so ! 

It  will  be  seen  that  all  of  these  pieces  treat  of  the  soft 
passion,  and  in  no  measure  can  it  be  expressed  with  more 
tenderness. 

I  cannot  resist  the  temptation  of  adding  to  the  fore 
going  examples  The  Christian's  Address  to  Ids  Soul,  by 
POPE.  It  possesses  great  merit,  sentimental  as  well  as 
metrical.  It  will  be  seen  that  it  is  composed  partly  in 
the  measure  treated  of  in  §  22,  and  partly  in  Iambic 
measure  : 

Vital  spark  of  heavenly  flame, 

Quit,  oh  quit,  this  mortal  frame  : 

Trembling,  hoping,  lingering,  flying — 

Oh,  the  pain,  the  bliss,  of  dying  ! 

Cease,  fond  nature,  cease  thy  strife, 

And  let  me  languish  into  life. 

Hark  !  they  whisper  :  angels  say, 
"  Sister  spirit,  come  away." 


CHAP.  II.]          TROCHAIC  MEASURES.  93 

What  is  this  absorbs  me  quite  1 
Steals  ray  senses,  shuts  my  sight, 
Drowns  my  spirit,  draws  rny  breath  1 
Tell  me,  my  soul,  can  this  be  death? 

The  world  recedes  :  it  disappears  ! 
Heaven  opens  on  my  eyes !  my  ears 

With  sounds  seraphic  ring  ! 
Lend,  lend  your  wings  !  I  mount !  I  fly  ! 
0  grave  !  where  is  thy  victory  ? 

O  death  !  where  is  thy  sting  ? 

We  have  already  had  occasion  to  remark  the  animat 
ing  effect  of  the  short  syllable  at  the  end  of  the  line. 
We  have  only  to  compare  the  examples  of  this  measure 
with  those  of  the  last,  to  see  the  truth  of  this  remark. 
For  the  examples  in  this  section,  though  they  contain  the 
same  number  of  long  syllables  as  those  in  the  last,  and 
one  short  syllable  more,  are  still  more  brisk  in  the  move 
ment  of  the  verse,  for  the  obvious  reason  that  the  lines 
are  closed  by  a  short  syllable. 

POPE'S  Chorus  to  the  Tragedy  of  Brutus  shall  furnish 
the  next  and  last  example  of  this  measure  : 

Hence,  guilty  joys,  distastes,  surmises  ; 
Hence,  false  tears,  deceits,  disguises, 
Dangers,  doubts,  delays,  surprises, 

Fires  that  scorch,  yet  dare  not  shine : 
Purest  Love's  unwasting  treasure, 
Constant  faith,  fair  hope,  long  leisure  ; 
Days  of  ease,  and  nights  of  pleasure, 

Sacred  Hymen  !  these  are  thine. 

§  24.   The  line  of  four  Trochees  followed  by  a  long  syllable. 

The  eighth  species  of  the  Trochaic  line  consists  of 
four  feet  with  an  additional  long  syllable.  It  may  be  con 
tinued  through  a  piece,  but  is  generally  intermingled  with 
other  measures,  as  in  the  following  example : 

5* 


94  QUANTITY.  [TIT.   I. 

Where  the  long  reeds  quiver, 

Where  the  pines  make  moan, 
By  the  forest  river, 

Sleeps  our  babe  alone  ; 

England's  field  flowers  may  not  deck  his  grave, 
Cypress  shadows  o'er  him  darkly  wave. 

Now  let  thought  behold  him 

With  his  angel  look, 
Where  those  arms  enfold  him, 

Which  benignly  took 

Israel's  babes  to  their  good  Shepherd's  breast, 
When  his  voice  their  tender  meekness  blest. 

Turn  thee  now,  fond  mother, 

From  thy  dead,  oh,  turn  ! 
Linger  not,  young  brother, 

Here  to  dream  and  mourn  : 
Only  kneel  once  more  around  the  sod, 
Kneel,  and  bow  submitted  hearts  to  God  ! 

MRS.  HEMAMS. 

Funeral  Hymn,  from  the  Burial  of  an  Emigrant's  child  in  the  forest. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  above  stanzas  are  purely 
Trochaic.  The  first  and  the  third  lines  belong  to  the 
fifth  species  of  this  verse,  composed  of  three  Trochees. 
(§  21«)  The  second  and  the  fourth  lines  belong  to  the 
fourth  species,  composed  of  two  Trochees  and  a  long  syl 
lable.  (§  '20. )  The  last  two  lines  belong  to  the  species 
now  under  consideration,  composed  of  four  feet  and  an  ad 
ditional  long  syllable.  This  measure  is  rarely  employed, 
though  it  has  a  solemn  air,  and  is  well  adapted  to  elegiac 
subjects. 

§  25.   The  line  of  jive  Trochees. 

The  ninth  species  of  Trochaic  verse  is  composed 
of  five  feet.  Like  the  last,  it  is  extremely  uncommon. 
This  measure  forms  the  first  and  the  third  lines  of  the 


CHAP.  II. J  TROCHAIC    MEASURES.  95 

following  stanzas,  the  second  and  the  fourth  being  exam 
ples  of  the  measure  treated  of  under  the  last  head  : 

Mountain  windsj  /)h|  whilher_do  ysj^ll  me~ 

Vainly j^ainly,  wpuld  ray  steps  pursue  : 
Chains  of  care  to  lower  'earth  enmral  me, 

Wherefore  thus  my  weary  spirit  woo  1 

Oh  !  the  strife  of  this  divided  being ! 

Is  there  peace  where  ye  are  borne,  on  high  ! 
Could  we  soar  to  your  proud  eyries  fleeing, 

In  our  hearts  would  haunting  memories  die  ? 


Wild  and  mighty,  and  mysterious  singers  ! 

At  whose  tone  my  heart  within  me  burns; 
Bear  me  where  the  last  red  sunbeam  lingers, 

Where  the  waters  have  their  secret  urns  ! 

MRS.  HEMANS. — To  the  Mountain  Winds. 


§  26.  The  line  of  six  Trochees. 

The  tenth  species  is  composed  of  six  Trochees.  This 
measure  is  languishing,  and  rarely  used.  The  following 
example  is  often  cited  : 

On  a  mountain,  stretched  beneath  a  hoary  willow, 
Lay  a  shepherd  swain,  amLview'd  the  rolling  billow. 

We  have  the  followin    from  BISHOP  HEBER  : 


Holy,  holy,  holy  !  all  the  saints  adore  thee, 

Casting  down  their  golden  crowns  around  the  glassy  sea  ; 
Cherubim  and  seraphim  falling  down  before  thee, 

Which  wert  and  art  and  evermore  shalt  be  ! 

Holy,  holy,  holy  !  though  the  darkness  hide  thee, 
Though  the  eye  of  sinful  man  thy  glory  may  not  see, 

Only  thou  art  holy  ;  there  is  none  beside  thee, 
Perfect  in  power,  in  love,  and  purity. 


96  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

Only  the  first  and  the  third  lines  of  these  stanzas  are 
to  our  purpose. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  second  line  of  each  of 
these  stanzas  is  composed  of  six  Trochees  and  an  addition 
al  long  syllable.  As  its  corresponding  line  is  an  Iambic, 
and  as  the  piece  has  some  licenses  in  its  construction,  it 
is  far  safer  to  conclude  that  this  line  is  an  anomaly  than 
that  it  forms  a  distinct  species  of  verse.  We  must  there 
fore  conclude  that  the  tenth  is  the  longest  species  of  Tro 
chaic  line  known  to  English  verse. 

Having  now  completed  our  remarks  upon  the  Trochee, 
and  illustrated  them  by  numerous  examples,  we  proceed 
to  the  Anapest. 


CHAPTER    III. 

ANAPESTIC      B1EASURES. 

§  27.   Quantity  of  the  Anapest,  and  the  nature  of  tins  fool. 

THIS  foot  consist  of  three  syllables,  the  first  two 
short,  and  the  last  long.  This,  like  the  Trochee,  is  used 
both  as  a  primary  and  as  a  secondary  foot.  As  a  second 
ary  foot  it  is  often  employed  in  heroic  verse,  for  the  sake 
of  variety  ;  and  it  is  admissible  in  every  place  in  the  line. 
In  the  first  place  it  is  not  often  found,  nor  has  it  an  agree 
able  effect,  as  a  line  rarely  begins  well  with  two  short 
syllables. 

In  the  following  line  it  is  found  in  the  first  place  and 
the  second  : 

.  The  imperial  consort  of  the  crdwn  of  spades. 

This  line  would  have  been  more  melodious  if  the  An 
apest  in  the  first  place  had  been  made  an  Iambus  by 


CHAP.  III.]  ANAPESTIC    MEASURES.  97 

elision  of  the  the.     In   the   second  place  of  the  line  this 
foot  has  great  beauty.     Examples  are  numerous  : 
Nor  glistering,  may  of  solid  good  contain. 
Their  wandering  course  now  high,  now  low,  then  hid. 
In  the  third  place  it  is  often  found,  and  is  still  beauti 
ful  : 

That  to  corporeal  substances  could  add. 

In  the  fourth  place  it  rarely  occurs,  nor  is  its  effect  so 
good  as  in  the  second  or  the  third  place.  In  the  follow- 
ing  line  it  is  found  in  the  fourth  place  and  in  the  fifth : 

Not  with  more  glories  in  the  ethereal  plain. 

In  the  fifth  place  it  is  always  agreeable  : 

Sent  from  her  through  the  wide  transpicuous  air. 
Such  disproportions  with  superfluous  hand. 

The  purely  Anapestic  measure  is  more  easily  con 
structed  than  the  Trochee,  and  of  much  more  frequent 
occurrence.  It  is  better  adapted  than  any  other  measure 
to  lively  and  spirited  subjects,  and  it  will  be  found  that, 
whenever  this  measure  is  employed  in  the  treating  of  sad 
subjects,  the  effect  is  destroyed.  Whoever  should  attempt 
to  write  an  elegy  in  this  measure  would  be  sure  to  fail. 
The  words  might  express  grief,  but  the  measure  would 
express  joy.  It  would  be  the  plaint  of  the  nightingale 
caroled  by  the  lark.  The  Anapest  is  the  vehicle  of  gayety 
and  joy.  When  these  are  not  felt,  some  other  measure 
should  be  adopted.  COWPER,  in  his  Alexander  Selkirk, 
and  CAMPBELL,  in  his  Soldier's  Dream,  have  improperly 
chosen  this  measure.  In  both  of  these  pieces  there  is  an 
air  of  despondency,  and  we  feel  that  there  is  a  want  of 
sympathy  between  the  subject  and  the  measure.  The 
sentiments  of  both  of  these  pieces  would  have  been  much 
better  expressed  by  the  Iambus.  When  we  say  that  the 


98  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

subjects  treated  in  this  measure  should  be  gay  or  joyous, 
we  would  not  by  any  means  wish  to  exclude  serious  sub 
jects.  These  may  be  treated  in  this  measure  with  great 
propriety,  and  perhaps  better  than  in  any  other,  provided 
there  is  in  them  an  air  of  exultation.  The  Destruction  of 
Sennacherib  is  in  this  measure,  and  perhaps  no  other  would 
have  so  well  expressed  the  exultation  of  triumph  that 
forms  the  chief  merit  of  that  piece ;  and  it  will  be  found 
that,  in  the  most  successful  Anapestic  pieces,  there  is  a 
certain  buoyancy  of  spirits,  whether  the  subject  be  serious 
or  gay,  important  or  trivial,  that  cannot  make  itself  felt 
in  any  other  measure.  I  insist  the  more  upon  this  point, 
that  the  nature  of  the  Anapest  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
properly  understood.  The  correctness  of  these  remarks 
will  be  seen  in  the  numerous  examples  to  be  given  here 
after. 

It  will  be  evident  that  the  Anapest  should  never  be 
employed  throughout  a  long  piece,  and  this  for  two  rea 
sons  :  First,  the  buoyancy  of  spirits  and  enthusiasm  re 
quisite  to  the  successful  employment  of  it,  can  never  be 
supposed  to  last  for  a  long  time.  Sadness  never  leaves  us, 
but  joy  remains  but  for  a  moment.  Second,  the  measure 
is  exceedingly  monotonous.  There  is  the  same  recurrence 
of  lively  movement,  the  same  rise  and  fall,  and  we  soon 
become  weary. 

It  is  proper  to  remark,  that  when  the  Anapestic  foot 
is  mingled  with  Iambuses  in  the  same  line,  the  piece  ac 
quires  a  certain  dignity  which  the  Iambus  always  imparts, 
without  losing  the  briskness  peculiar  to  Anapestic  verse. 
The  Voice  of  Spring,  by  MRS.  HEMANS,  and  the  Burial  of 
Sir  John  Moore,  by  WOLFE,  are  admirable  examples  of 
this  kind  of  verse.  We  have  stated,  at  the  beginning  of 
this  section,  that  the  Anapest  is  composed  of  two  short 


CHAP.  III.]  ANAPESTIC    MEASURES.  99 

syllables,  and  one  long  one.     The  following  line  is  made 
up  of  pure  Anapests  : 

I  have  tasted  the  sweets  and  the  bitters  of  love. 

It  frequently  happens  that  syllables  long  by  quantity 
become  short  by  emphasis  ;  this  is  the  case  with  the  first 
syllable  of  the  first  foot  of  the  following  line : 

Bids  me  live  but  t5  hope  for  posterity's  praise. 

Here  the  word  bids,  though  long  by  quantity,  becomes 
short  by  emphasis.* 

§  28.   The  Line  of  a  single  Anapest  preceded  by  an  Iambus. 

We  are  now  to  treat  of  the  various  species  of  Ana- 
pestic  lines.  The  first  and  shortest  of  these  is  composed 
of  a  single  Anapest  following  an  Iambus.  In  the  fol 
lowing  example  we  have  this  measure  alternating  with 
Amphibrachic  lines : 

The  captive  usurper 
Hurl'd  down  from  the  throne, 
Lay  buried  in  torpor, 
Forgotten  and  lone  ; 

*  It  has  been  remarked  (§  15)  that  though  the  Iambus  with  an 
additional  short  syllable  is  the  shortest  line  that  is  known  to  Iambic 
verse,  there  are  isolated  instances  of  a  single  Iambus,  and  even  of  a 
single  long  syllable.  There  are  examples  of  lines  made  up  of  a  single 
Anapest,  as  the  following  example  will  show  : 

Jove  in  his  chair,  Even  Fate, 

Of  the  sky  lord  mayor,  Though  so  great, 

With  his  nods  Must  not  prate  ; 

Men  and  gods  His  b;ild  pate 

Keeps  in  awe  ;  Jove  would  cuff, 

When  he  winks,  lie's  so  bluff, 

Heaven  shrinks  ;  For  a  straw. 

Cowed  deities, 

Cock  of  the  school,  Like  mice  in  cheese, 

He  bears  despotic  rule ;  To  stir  must  cease 

His  word,  Or  gnaw. 

Though  absurd, 

Must  be  law.  O'HARA.— Midas,  Act.  I.  Sc.  1. 


100  QUANTITY.  [TIT.    I. 

I  broke  through  his  slumbers, 
I  shivered  his  chain, 
I  leagued  him  with  numbers — 
He's  tyrant  again  ! 

Manfred,  Act  II.,  Sc.  3. 

In  the  following  each  line  is  in  this  measure  : 

O'Rourke's  noble  fare 

Will  ne'er  be  forgot 
By  those  who  were  there, 

Or  those  who  were  not. 

His  revels  to  keep, 

We  sup  and  we  dine 
On  seven  score  sheep, 

Fat  bullocks,  and  swine. 

Usquebaugh  to  our  feast 

In  pails  was  brought  up, 
A  hundred  at  least, 

And  a  madder  our  cup. 

DEAN  SWIFT. — Description  of  an  Irish  Feast. 


§  '29.   The  Line  of  two  Anapests. 

The  second  species  of  the  Anapestic  line  is  made 
up  of  two  feet.  It  is  the  most  lively  and  the  most  agree 
able  of  the  shorter  Anapestic  measures.  Example  : 

Pry'thee  Cupid  no  more 
Hurl  thy  darts  at  threescore, 
To  thy  girls  and  thy  boys 
Give  thy  pains  and  thy  joys; 
Let  Sir  Trusty  and  me 
From  thy  frolics  be  free. 

Rosamond,  Act  II.,  Sc.  2. 

In  the  following,  from  POPE'S  Ode  on  St.  Cecilia's  Day, 
we  have  a  fine  instance  of  representative  versification  : 


CHAP.  II1.J  ANAPESTIC    MEASURES.  101 

In  a  sadly  pleasing  strain 
Let  the  warbling  lute  complain  : 
Let  the  loud  trumpet  sound, 
Till  the  roofs  all  around 
The  shrill  echSes  rebound  : 
While  in  more  lengthened  notes  and  slow, 
The  deep,  majestic,  solemn  organs  blow. 

Here  the  two  '  sadly  pleasing '  lines  in  the  beginning 
are  in  the  sixth  species  of  Trochaicllne.  (§22.)  These, 
containing  four  long  syllables  to  three  short  ones,  are  slow 
in  their  movement.  The  next  three,  by  means  of  the 
brisk  Anapest,  awake  us  from  the  sleep  into  which  the 
other  had  lulled  us  ;  and  the  example  closes  with  the 
solemn  Iambus,  intermingled  with  Trochees  and  Spondees, 
I  know  of  no  passage  in  our  language  in  which  the  mea 
sure  is  better  suited  to  the  sense,  or  in  which  the  sense 
better  shows  the  capacities  of  the  measure.  The  quantity 
of  each  of  the  syllables  in  the  above  example  is  indicated 
by  the  appropriate  accents. 

The  next  and  last  example  we  shall  give  of  this  mea 
sure,  is  from  DRYDEN'S  Ode  on  St.  Cecilia's  Day.  It  pos 
sesses  great  merit : 

Revenge,  revenge  !  Timotheus  cries — 

See  the  furies  arise  ! 

See  the  snakes  that  they  rear, 

How  they  hiss  in  their  hair, 
And  the  sparkles  that  flash  from  their  eyes. 


§  30.   The  Line  of  two  Anapests  preceded  by  an  Iambus. 

The  third  speci'es  of  the  Anapestic  line,  is  com 
posed  of  two  Anapests  preceded  by  one  Iambus.  This 
forms  a  neat  and  brisk  measure.  It  is  not  often  employed. 
In  the  following  piece  it  is  well  adapted  to  the  subject : 


102  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

All  these  are  not  half  that  I  owe 

To  one,  from  her  earliest  youth 
To  me  ever  ready  to  show 

Benignity,  friendship,  and  truth  ; 
For  time,  the  destroyer  declared, 

And  foe  of  our  perishing  kind, 
If  even  her  face  he  has  spared, 

Much  less  could  he  alter  her  mind. 

Thus  compassed  about  with  the  goods 

And  chattels  of  leisure  and  ease, 
I  indulge  my  poetical  rnoods, 

In  many  such  fancies  as  these  ; 
And  fancies  I  fear  they  will  seern — 

Poets'  goods  are  not  often  so  fine  ; 
The  poets  will  swear  that  I  dream, 

When  I  sing  of  the  splendour  of  mine. 
COWPER. — Gratitude^  addressed  to  Lady  Heskcth. 

The  following  stanzas,  selected  from  Jack  Frenchman's 
Lamentation,  by  SWIFT,  contain  lines  belonging  to  the  first, 
the  second,  the  third,  and  the  fourth  species  of  the  Ana- 
pestic  line.  The  piece  is  of  the  burlesque  kind,  and  the 
measure  is  highly  appropriate  to  the  sentiment : 

To  a  steeple  on  high 

The  battle  to  spy, 
Up  mounted  these  clever  young  men  ; 

But  when  from  the  spire 

They  saw  so  much  fire, 
Most  cleverly  came  down  again. 


What  a  racket  was  here, 

(I  think  'twas  last  year,) 
For  a  little  misfortune  in  Spain  ! 

For  by  letting  'em  win, 

We  have  drawn  the  puts  in, 
To  lose  all  they're  worth  this  campaign. 


CHAP.  III.]  ANAPESTIC    MEASURES.  103 

From  this  dream  of  success, 

They'll  awaken,  we  guess, 
At  the  sound  of  great  Marlborough's  drums  : 

They  may  think,  if  they  will, 

Of  Almanza  still, 
But  'tis  Blenheim  wherever  he  comes. 


§  31.   The  line  of  three  Anapests. 

The  fourth  species  of  the  Anapeslic  line  is  composed 
of  three  feet.  It  is  a  very  agreeable  measure,  and  well 
adapted  to  trivial  and  gay  subjects.  SHENSTONE'S  Pas 
toral  is  perhaps  the  best  example  we  have  of  this  measure. 
There  is  a  certain  delicacy  admirably  expressed  by  this 
measure.  Witness  the  following  example  : 

My  banks  they  are  furnished  with  bees, 

Whose  murmur  invites  me  to  sleep  ; 
My  grottoes  are  shaded  with  trees, 

And  my  hills  are  white  over  with  sheep. 
I  seldom  have  met  with  a  loss, 

Such  health  do  my  fountains  bestow  : 
My  fountains  all  border'd  with  moss, 

Where  the  hare-bells  and  violets  grow. 

Not  a  pine  in  my  grove  is  there  seen, 

But  with  tendrils  of  woodbine  is  bound : 
Not  a  beech's  more  beautiful  green, 

But  a  sweetbrier  entwines  it  around. 
Not  my  fields,  in  the  prime  of  the  year, 

More  charms  than  my  cattle  unfold  ; 
Not  a  brook  that  is  limpid  and  clear, 

But  it  glitters  with  fishes  of  gold. 

One  would  think  she  might  like  to  retire 
To  the  bower  I  have  laboured  to  rear  ; 

Not  a  shrub  that  I  heard  her  admire, 
But  I  hasted  and  planted  it  there. 


104  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I, 

0  how  sudden  the  jessamine  strove 
With  the  lilac  to  render  it  gay  ! 

Already  it  calls  for  my  love 

To  prune  the  wild  branches  away. 

From  the  plains,  from  the  woodlands  and  groves, 

What  strains  of  wild  melody  flow  ! 
How  the  nightingales  warble  their  loves 

From  thickets  of  roses  that  blow  ! 
And  when  her  bright  form  shall  appear, 

Each  bird  shall  harmoniously  join 
In  a  concert  so  soft  and  so  clear, 

As —  she  may  not  be  fond  to  resign. 

1  have  found  out  a  gift  for  my  fair  ; 

I  have  found  where  the  wood-pigeons  breed  : 
But  let  me  that  plunder  forbear, 

She  will  say  'twas  a  barbarous  deed. 
For  he  ne'er  could  be  true,  she  averr'd, 

Who  would  rob  a  poor  bird  of  its  young  : 
And  I  loved  her  the  more  when  I  heard 

Such  tenderness  fall  from  her  tongue. 

I  have  heard  her  with  sweetness  unfold 

How  that  pity  was  due  to  a  dove  : 
That  it  ever  attended  the  bold  ; 

And  she  called  it  the  sister  of  love. 
But  her  words  such  a  pleasure  convey, 

So  much  1  her  accents  adore, 
Let  her  speak,  and  whatever  she  say, 

Methinks  I  should  love  her  the  more. 

Can  a  bosom  so  gentle  remain 

Unmov'd,  when  her  Corydon  sighs  1 
Will  a  nymph  that  is  fond  of  the  plain, 

These  plains  and  this  valley  despise  1 
Dear  regions  of  silence  and  shade ! 

Soft  scenes  of  contentment  and  ease  1 
Where  I  could  have  pleasingly  stray'd, 

If  aught,  in  her  absence,  could  please. 


CHAP.  III.]  ANAPESTIC    MEASURES.  105 

But  where  does  my  Phyllida  stray  ? 

And  where  are  her  grots  and  her  bowers  ? 
Are  the  groves  and  the  valleys  as  gay, 

And  the  shepherds  as  gentle  as  ours  1 
The  groves  may  perhaps  be  as  fair , 

And  the  face  of  the  valleys  as  fine  ; 
The  swains  may  in  manners  compare, 

But  their  love  is  not  equal  to  mine. 

It  will  be  seen  that,  in  this  piece,  the  third  species  of 
the  Anapest  alternates  with  the  fourth,  and  it  may  be  re 
marked  generally  that  several  Anapestic  measures  are 
very  often  found  together  in  the  same  piece.  This  is 
more  frequently  the  case  with  the  Anapestic  measures 
than  with  others,  probably  because  this  measure  is  more 
monotonous  than  any  other. 

§  32.   The  line  of  three  Anapests  preceded  liy  an  Iambus. 

The  fifth  species  of  the  Anapestic  line  is  composed  of 
three  Anapests,  preceded  by  a  single  Iambus.  This  verse 
is  well  adapted  to  lyric  poetry,  and  some  of  our  best  and 
most  popular  songs  and  ballads  have  been  composed  in  this 
measure.  It  is  a  very  spirited  line  : 

I'll  give  thee,  good  fellow,  a  twelvemonth  or  twain, 
To  search  Europe  through,  from  Byzantium  to  Spain  ; 
But  ne'er  shall  you  find,  should  you  search  till  you  tire, 
So  happy  a  man  as  the  Barefooted  Friar. 

******* 
He's  expected  at  noon,  and  no  wight  till  he  comes 
May  profane  the  great  chair,  or  the  porridge  of  plums  ; 
For  the  best  of  the  cheer,  and  the  seat  by  the  fire, 
Is  the  undenied  right  of  the  Barefooted  Friar. 

He's  expected  at  night,  and  the  pasty's  made  hot, 
They  broach  the  brown  ale,  and  they  fill  the  black  pot, 
And  the  goodwife  would  wish  the  goodman  in  the  mire, 
Ere  he  lacked  a  soft  pillow,  the  Barefooted  Friar. 


106  QUANTITY.  [TIT.   I. 

Long  flourish  the  sandal,  the  cord,  and  the  cope, 
The  dread  of  the  devil  and  trust  of  the  Pope  ; 
For  to  gather  life's  roses, unscathed  by  the  brier, 
Is  granted  alone  to  the  Barefooted  Friar ! 

SCOTT. — Ivanhoe. 

This  is  an  admirable  specimen  of  the  Anapestic  mea 
sure.  It  will  be  seen  that  a  part  of  it  is  composed  of  four 
Anapests.  That  verse  will  soon  be  treated  of. 

Again : 

As  I  was  a-wand'ring  ae  morning  in  spring, 

I  heard  a  young  ploughman  sae  sweetly  to  sing, 

And  as  he  was  singiri'  thir  words  he  did  say, 

There's  nae  life  like  the  Ploughman  in  the  month  o'  sweet  May. 

The  lav'rock  in  the  morning  she'll  rise  frae  her  nest, 
And  mount  to  the  air  wi'  the  dew  on  her  breast, 
And  wi'  the  merry  ploughman  she'll  whistle  and  sing, 
And  at  night  she'll  return  to  her  nest  back  again. 

BURNS. — Songs. 

Again : 

'Tis  night,  and  the  landscape  is  lovely  no  more  ; 
I  mourn,  but,  ye  woodlands,  I  mourn  not  for  you  ; 
For  mom  is  approaching,  your  charms  to  restore, 
Perfumed  with  fresh  fragrance,  and  glittering  with  dew. 
Nor  yet  for  the  ravage  of  Winter  I  mourn  ; 
Kind  Nature  the  embryo  blossom  will  save. 
But  when  shall  Spring  visit  the  mouldering  urn  1 
O  when  shall  it  dawn  on  the  night  of  the  grave  1 

'Twas  thus,  by  the  glare  of  false  science  betrayed, 

That  leads,  to  bewilder  ;  and  dazzles,  to  blind  ; 

My  thoughts,  wont  to  roam  from  shade  onward  to  shade, 

Destruction  before  me,  and  sorrow  behind. 

"  O  pity,  great  Father  of  light !"  (then  I  cried) 

"  Thy  creature,  who  fain  would  not  wander  from  Thee  ! 

Lo,  humbled  in  dust,  I  relinquish  my  pride  ; 

From  doubt  and  from  darkness  thou  only  canst  free." 


CHAP.  III.]  ANAPESTIC    MEASURES.  107 

And  darkness  and  doubt  are  now  flying  away  ; 

No  longer  I  roam  in  conjecture  forlorn  ; 

So  breaks  on  the  traveller,  faint  and  astray, 

The  bright  and  the  balmy  effulgence  of  morn. 

See  Truth,  Love,  and  Mercy,  in  triumph  descending, 

And  Nature  all  glowing  in  Eden's  first  bloom  ! 

On  the  cold  cheek  of  Death  smiles  and  roses  are  blending, 

And  Beauty  immortal  awakes  from  the  tomb. 

BEATTIE. — Hermit. 

I  have  chosen  the  above  three  stanzas  that  the  nature 
of  this  foot  may  be  fully  seen.  In  the  first  two,  the  sen 
timent  is  that  of  the  lowest  despondency,  and  we  feel  that 
the  movement  is  too  brisk ;  but  when  we  come  to  the  last, 
in  which  the  Hope  of  Immortality  triumphs  over  Doubt 
and  Despair,  we  sympathize  with  the  movement  of  the 
verse  as  well  as  the  sentiment  of  the  Poet. 

§  33.   The  line  of  four  Anapests. 

The  sixth  species  of  the  Anapestic  line  is  composed 
of  four  feet,  and  differs  from  the  preceding  only  in  taking 
an  Anapest  instead  of  an  Iambus,  in  the  first  place.  It 
is  on  that  account  rather  more  lively  than  the  preceding 
measure.  Of  this  measure  we  cannot  select  a  more  beau 
tiful  example  than  the  Destruction  of  Sennacherib.  The 
first  three  stanzas  will  show  how  admirably  this  measure 
is  fitted  to  express  the  joy  of  triumph  : 

The  Assyrian  came  down  like  a  wolf  on  the  fold, 
And  his  cohorts  were  gleaming  in  purple  and  gold  ; 
And  the  sheen  of  their  spears  was  like  stars  on  the  sea, 
When  the  blue  wave  rolls  nightly  on  deep  Galilee. 

Like  the  leaves  of  the  forest  when  Summer  is  green, 
That  host  with  their  banners  at  sunset  were  seen  : 
Like  the  leaves  of  the  forest  when  Autumn  hath  blown, 
That  host  on  the  morrow  lay  withered  and  strown. 


108  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

For  the  Angel  of  Death  spread  his  wings  on  the  blast, 
And  breathed  in  the  face  of  the  foe  as  he  passed  ; 
And  the  eyes  of  the  sleepers  waxed  deadly  and  chill, 
And  their  hearts  but  once  heaved  and  forever  grew  still. 

That  this  measure  is  well  fitted  for  humorous  subjects, 
will  be  made  evident  by  the  Retaliation  of  GOLDSMITH. 
Let  us  take  his  description  of  Garrick  : 

/      (/      /  v       /  /        /  \/        ,      \J     / 
Here  lies  David  Garrick,  describe  him  who  can, 
An  abridgment  of  all  that  was  pleasant  in  man  ; 
As  an  a*ctor,  confesfe'd  without  rival  to  shine  ; 
As  a  wit,  if  not  first,  in  the  very  first  line  ; 
Yet,  with  talents  like  these,  and  an  excellent  heart, 
The  man  had  his  failings,  a  dupe  to  his  art. 
Like  an  ill-judging  beauty,  his  colours  he  spread, 
And  beplastered  with  rouge  his  own  natural  red. 
On  the  stage  he  was  natural,  simple,  affecting  ; 
'Twas  only  when  he  was  off,  he  was  acting. 
With  no  reason  on  earth  to  go  out  of  his  way, 
He  turned,  and  he  varied  full  ten  times  a  day : 
Though  secure  of  our  hearts,  yet  confoundedly  sick 
If  they  were  not  his  own  by  finessing  and  trick: 
He  cast  off  his  friends,  as  a  huntsman  his  pack, 
For  he  knew  when  he  pleased  he  could  whistle  them  back. 
Of  praise  a  mere  glutton,  he  swallowed  what  came, 
And  the  puff  of  a  dunce,  he  mistook  it  for  fame  ; 
Till  his  relish,  grown  callous  almost  to  disease, 
Who  peppered  the  highest,  was  surest  to  please. 
But  let  us  be  candid,  and  speak  out  our  mind, 
If  dunces  applauded,  he  paid  them  in  kind. 

It  will  be  observed  that  several  of  these  lines  are  com- 
posed  of  three  Anapests  preceded  by  an  Iambus,  instead 
of  containing  four  Anapests,  and  these  two  species  of  line 
are  very  frequently  found  intermingled  and  used  promis 
cuously  in  the  same  piece.  They  are  so  similar  as  al 
most  to  form  but  one  species  of  verse,  but  for  the  sake  of 
distinctness  we  have  thought  best  to  class  them  separately. 


CHAP.  III.]  ANAPESTIC    MEASURES.  109 

The  ballad  of  Lochinvar,  in  SCOTT'S  Marmion,  is  com- 
posed  of  both  these  measures  used  promiscuously.  As 
this  ballad  shows  very  well  the  capacities  of  this  measure, 
and  its  appropriateness  to  ballads  in  general,  we  shall  give 
the  last  three  stanzas  of  it.  It  is  proper  to  remark  that 
this  metre  gains  much  by  being  sung,  and  for  this  reason 
is  highly  appropriate  for  popular  ballads,  as  has  been  re 
marked  above. 

So  stately  his  form,  and  so  lovely  her  face, 

That  never  a  hall  such  a  galliard  did  grace  : 

While  her  mother  did  fret,  and  her  father  did  fume, 

And  the  bridegroom  stood  dangling  his  bonnet  and  plume  ; 

And  the  bride-maidens  whispered,  "  'Twere  better  by  far 

To  have  matched  our  fair  cousin  to  young  Lochinvar." 

One  touch  to  her  hand,  and  one  word  in  her  ear, 

When  they  reached  the  hall-door,  and  the  charger  stood  near ; 

So  light  to  the  croupe  the  fair  lady  he  swung, 

So  light  to  the  saddle  before  her  he  sprung! ' 

"  She  is  won  !  we  are  gone,  over  bank,  bush,  and  scaur  ; 

They'll  have  fleet  steeds  that  follow,"  quoth  young  Lochinvar. 

There  was  mounting  'mong  Graemes  of  the  Netherby  clan  ; 

Forsters,  Fenwicks,  and  Musgraves,  they  rode  and  they  ran: 

There  was  racing  and  chasing  on  Cannobie  Lee, 

But  the  lost  bride  of  Netherby  ne'er  did  they  see. 

So  daring  in  love,  and  so  dauntless  in  war, 

Have  ye  e'er  heard  of  gallant  like  young  Lochinvar  ? 


§  34.   The  Hue  of  two  Anapesls  and  two  Iambuses. 

The  seventh  species  of^Anapestic  line  is  made  up  of 

two   Anapests    and    two    Iambuses;    the   Iambus  either 

beginning  the  line,  ending  it,  or  alternating  with  the  Ana- 

pests.     In    either   case   the  effect   is   nearly   the   same. 

6 


110  QTjANTirr. 

Though  the  time  required  to  pronounce  this  line,  syllable 
by  syllable,  is  less  than  that  required  for  the  pronunciation 
of  the  line  of  four  Anapests,  it  is  more  languid  than  that. 
The  experiment  may  be  made  on  any  of  the  examples  we 
are  about  to  give,  and  the  result  will  always  be  the  same. 
To  show  the  effect  of  this  measure,  which  possesses 
the  dignity  of  the  Iambus  and  the  briskness  of  the  Ana- 
pest,  the  following  example  will  suffice  : 

I  have~  breathea  on  the  Spath,  and  thediestnut  flowers 
By  th'ousands  hare  burst  From'tne  fores  Ao  we rs, 
And  the  ancient  graves,  and  the  fallen  fanes, 
Are  veiled  with  wreaths  on  Italian  plains. 
— But  it  is  not  forme,  in  my  hour  of  bloom, 
To  speak  of  the  ruin  or  the  tomb  ! 

I  have  passed  o'er  the  hills  of  the  stormy  North, 

And  the  larch  has  hung  all  his  tassels  forth,  j 

The  fisher  is  out  on  the  sunny  sea, 

And  the  reindeer  bounds  through  the  pasture  free, 

And  the  pine  has  a  fringe  of  softer  green, 

And  the  moss  looks  bright,  where  my  step  has  been. 

I  have  sent  through  the  wood-paths  a  glowing  sigh, 
And  called  out  each  voice  of  the  deep  blue  sky, 
From  the  night-bird's  lay  through  the  starry  time, 
In  the  groves  of  the  soft  Hesperian  clime, 
To  the  swan's  wild  note  by  the  Iceland  lakes, 
When  the  dark  fir-bough  into  verdure  breaks. 

From  the  streams  and  founts  1  have  loosed  the  chain  ; 
They  are  sweeping  on  to  the  silvery  main, 
They  are  flashing  down  from  the  mountain-brows, 
They  are  flinging  spray  on  the  forest  boughs, 
They  are  bursting  fresh  frofh  their  sparry  caves, 
And  the  earth  resounds  with  the  joy  of  waves. 

MRS.  HEMANS. — The  Voice  of  Spring. 


CHAP.   III.]  ANAPESTIC    MEASURES.  Ill 


§  35.   The  line  of  four  Anapests  followed  ly  a  short 

syllable. 

The  eighth  and  longest  species  of  Anapestic  line  is 
made  up  of  four  Anapests  and  one  short  syllable.  This 
measure  is  rarely  used  throughout  a  piece  ;  but  when  em 
ployed  at  all,  which  is  not  often,  it  is  generally  found 
intermingled  with  lines  of  four  Anapests,  or  regularly 
alternating  with  them. 

The  short  syllable  added  rather  detracts  from  the 
beauty  of  the  line  than  increases  it.  This  measure  is 
rarely  appropriate  except  in  burlesque.  The  following 
from  SWIFT  will  show  the  nature  of  this  verse : 

From  a  town  that  consists  of  a  church  and  a  steeple, 
With  three  or  four  houses  and  as  many  people, 
There  went  an  address  in  great  form  and  good  order, 
Composed,  as  'tis  said,  by  Will  Crowe,  their  recorder. 
And  thus  it  began  to  an  excellent  tune  : 
Forgive  us,  good  madam,  that  we  did  not,  as  soon 
As  the  rest  of  the  cities  and  towns  of  this  nation, 
Wish  your  majesty  joy  on  this  glorious  occasion. 
Not  that  we're  less  hearty  or  loyal  than  others, 
But  having  a  great  many  sisters  and  brothers, 
Our  borough  in  riches  and  years  far  exceeding, 
We  let  them  speak  first  to  show  our  good  breeding. 

In  the  following  piece  it  alternates  with  the  fifth  species 
of  Anapest  (§  32).  This  measure  is  well  calculated  for 
the  jovial  occasion  on  which  these  stanzas  were  produced  :* 

O,  dread  was  the  time,  and  more  dreadful  the  omen, 
When  the  brave  on  Marengo  lay  slaughtered  in  vain, 

And  beholding  broad  Europe  bowed  down  by  her  foemen, 
Pitt  closed  in  his  anguish  the  map  of  her  reign  ! 

*  The  Anniversary  Meeting  of  the  Pitt  Club  of  Scotland. 


112  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

Not  the  fate  of  broad  Europe  could  bend  his  brave  spirit 

To  take  for  his  country  the  safety  of  shame  ; 
O,  then  in  her  triumph  remember  his  merit, 

And  hallow  the  goblet  that  flows  to  his  name. 

Round  the  husbandman's  head,  while  he  traces  the  furrow, 

The  mists  of  the  winter  may  mingle  with  rain, 
He  may  plough  it  with  labor,  and  sow  it  in  sorrow, 

And  sigh  while  he  fears  he  has  sowed  it  in  vain  ; 
He  may  die  ere  his  children  shall  reap  in  their  gladness, 

But  the  blithe  harvest-home  shall  remember  his  claim  ; 
And  their  jubilee-shout  shall  be  softened  with  sadness, 

While  they  hallow  the  goblet  that  flows  to  his  name. 

We  have  now  completed  what  we  had  to  say  on  the 
Iambus,  the  Trochee,  and  the  Anapest.  These,  as  has 
been  heretofore  remarked,  are  called  principal  feet,  be 
cause  a  piece  may  be  wholly  composed  of  any  of  them. 
Of  these,  the  Iambus  is  by  far  the  most  common,  and  may 
be  regarded  as  the  ground  of  English  numbers.  We  are 
now  to  consider  the  five  other  feet  employed  in  English 
verse,  viz.  :  the  Pyrrhic,  the  Spondee,  the  Amphibrach, 
the  Tribrach,  and  the  Dactyle.  These  are  called  secon 
dary  feet,  because  they  are  never  made  use  of  throughout 
a  piece,  but  employed,  in  connection  with  the  principal 
feet  (particularly  the  Iambus),  for  the  sake  of  variety. 
Only  one  of  the  secondary  feet  can  be  employed  through 
out  a  line.  This  is  the  Amphibrach,  and  this  is  very 
rarely  made  to  compose  a  whole  line. 

We  will  begin  with  the  Pyrrhic. 


CHAP.  IV.]  THE    PYRRHIC.  113 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE      PYRRHIC. 

§  36.   Quantity  of  the  Pyrrhic. 

THIS  foot,  being  composed  of  two  short  syllables,  adds 
briskness  to  the  movement,  and  is  often  employed  to  great 
advantage  in  the  heroic  line,  particularly  when  the  subject 
is  gay.  It  may  be  employed  in  any  Iambic  line  of  three 
feet  or  more,  but  it  has  more  beauty  in  the  heroic  line  or 
the  Alexandrine,  than  in  the  shorter  ones.*  Our  exam- 


*  The  secondary  feet  are  rarely  admitted  to  advantage  into  the 
octo-syllabic  line.  In  the  example  given  below,  there  are  one  Anapest 
and  one  Dactyle  used  as  secondary  feet,  which  possess  uncommon 
beauty.  These  are  the  words  hovering  and  quivering,  in  the  third 
stanza.  It  would  be  impossible  to  select  two  other  words  that  so 
nearly  resemble  the  sense  as  do  these  ;  and  we  have  only  to  elide  the 
second  syllable  of  each,  to  see  how  much  effect  is  produced  by  the  short 
syllable  of  the  Anapest  : 

O  Venus,  beauty  of  the  skies, 

To  whom  a  thousand  temples  rise, 

Gaily  false  in  gentle  smiles, 

Full  of  love-perplexing  wiles  ; 

O  Goddess  !  from  my  heart  remove 

The  wasting  cares  and  pains  of  love. 

If  ever  thou  hast  kindly  heard 
A  song  in  soft  distress  preferred, 
Propitious  to  my  tuneful  vow, 

0  gentle  Goddess  !   hear  me  now  ; 
Descend,  thou  bright,  immortal  guest, 
In  all  thy  radiant  charms  confessed. 

Thou  once  didst  leave  almighty  Jove, 
And  all  the  golden  roofs  above  ; 
The  caj  thy  .wanioj>sna]'rows  drew. 
IjkfVfrmjfmnir,  they  lightly' /few  ; 
As  to  my  bower  they  winged  their  way, 

1  saw  their  quiverjag  phiionsplajk 

The  birds  disrmssea,  (while  you  remain,) 
Bore  back  their  empty  car  again  ; 
Then  you  with  looks'divinely  mild, 
In  ev'ry  heavenly  feature  smiled, 
And  asked  what  new  complaints  I  made, 
And  why  I  called  you  to  my  aid. 


114  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  T. 

pies  shall  therefore  be  taken  from  the  heroic  line,  either 
in  blank  verse  or  rhyme. 

This  foot  may  be  employed  in  any  place  in  the  line 
except  the  last,  though  it  has  a  happier  effect  in  some 
places  than  in  others,  as  will  be  seen  by  examples.  It 
may  occur  twice  in  the  same  line,  but  in  this  case  it  has 
a  bad  effect,  as  it  produces  a  superabundance  of  short  syl 
lables,  and  injures  both  melody  and  harmony. 

I.  In  the  first  place  of  the  line  the  Pyrrhic  is  not  gen- 
erally  agreeable,  as  the  following  examples  will  show  : 

And  in  soft  sounds  '  your  grace '  salutes  their  ear. 

In  the  clear  mirror  of  thy  ruling  star. 

But  with  swift  wheel  reverse,  deep  ent'ring  shared. 

II.  In  the  second  place  of  the  line  the  Pyrrhic  has  an 
effect  less  disagreeable  than  in  the  first  j  but  still  it  is  not 
very  agreeable. 

This  nymph  to  the  destruction  of  mankind. 

Sings  darkling  in  shadiest  covert  hid. 

By  thousands  and  by  millions  ranged  for  fight. 


What  frenzy  in  my  bosom  raged, 
And  by  what  cure  to  be  assuaged  ? 
What  gentle  youth  I  would  allure — 
Whom  in  my  artful  toils  secure  ? 
Who  does  thy  tender  heart  subdue, 
Tell  me,  my  Sappho,  tell  me  who  ? 

Though  now  he  shuns  thy  longing  arms, 
He  soon  shall  court  thy  slighted  charms  ; 
Though  now  thy  offerings  he  despise, 
He  soon  to  thee  shall  sacrifice  ; 
Though  now  he  freeze,  he  soon  shall  burn, 
And  be  thy  victim  in  his  turn. 

Celestial  visitant,  once  more 
Thy  needful  presence  I  implore  ! 
In  pity  come  and  ease  my  grief, 
Bring  my  distempered  soul  relief, 
Favour  thy  suppliant's  hidden  fires, 
And  give  me  all  my  heart  desires. 
AMBROSE  PHILIPS. —  Translation  of  Sappho' s  Ode  to  Venus. 


C&AP.  V.]  THE    SPONDEE. 

III.  This  foot  has  the  most  agreeable  effect  of  all  in 
the  third  place,  especially  if  the  csesural  pause  divide  the 
foot,  as  in  the  following  examples : 

And  sport  and  flutter  in  the  fields  of  air. 
The  silver  token,  and  the  circled  green. 
And  bask  and  whiten  in  the  plains  of  day. 
Each  warrior  single  as  in  chief  expert, 

IV.  The  Pyrrhic  has  still  a  very  agreeable  effect  in 
the  fourth  place: 

Led  through  a  sad  variety  of  wo, 

A  weary  waste  expanding  to  the  skies. 

Such  hast  thou  armed  the  minstrelsy  of  Heaven, 

Sidelong,  had  pushed  a  mountain  from  his  seat. 

I  have  now  given  examples  of  the  Pyrrhic  as  found  in 
all  the  places  of  the  heroic  line,  except  the  fifth,  where,  as 
has  been  remarked  above,  it  never  occurs.  We  say  it 
never  occurs  in  the  last  place,  and  for  the  reason  that, 
when  the  second  syllable  of  the  last  foot  is  short  by  quan 
tity,  it  becomes  long  by  emphasis,  and  forms  with  the  pre 
ceding  an  Iambus,  instead  of  a  Pyrrhic. 


CHAPTER  V, 

THE     SPONDEE. 

§  37.   Quantity  of  the  Spondee. 

THE  Spondee  is  composed  of  two  long  syllables.  It  has 
an  effect  contrary  to  that  of  the  Pyrrhic.  The  former  re 
tards  the  movement  as  much  as  the  latter  hastens  it.  The 
Pyrrhic  is  not  better  adapted  to  gay  subjects  than  the  Spon- 


I  If?  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I, 

dee  is  to  solemn  ones.  This  foot  makes  a  stronger  im 
pression,  and  fixes  the  attention  more  than  any  other.  It 
is  admissible  in  every  place  in  the  line,  and  has  peculiar 
beauty  after  a  Trochee  or  a  Pyrrhic. 

I.  In  the  first  place  of  the  line  it  possesses  great  beauty, 
and  adds  much  to  the  dignity  of  the  verse. 

Hung  over  her,  enamoured,  and  beheld. 
Hung  high  with  diamond  flaming,  and  with  gold, 
That  day  I  oft  remember,  when  from  sleep. 
Thee,  bold  Longinus  !  all  the  Nine  inspire. 
Fair  Liberty,  Britannia's  goddess,  rearsv 
Couched  close  he  lies,  and  meditates  the  prey. 

II.  This  foot  has  a  still  better  effect  in  the  second 
place,  particularly  if  it  be  preceded  by  a  Trochee.     When 
it  is  preceded  by  an  Iambus,  the  number  of  long  syllables 
is  too  great. 

Or  brew  fierce  tempests  on  the  wintry  main. 
Chains  and  these  torments?  better  these  than  worse. 
From  the  bleak  air  ;  a  stable  was  our  warmth. 
Blest  be  that  spot,  where  cheerful  guests  retire. 
My  soul,  turn  from  them  ;  turn  we  to  surrey. 
When  the  bleak  Swiss  their  stormy  mansions  tread. 

III.  In  the  third  place  the  effect  is  not  so  good. 
Each  wanton  judge  new  penal  statutes  draws. 
See  the  bold  youth  strain  up  the  threat'ning  steep. 
Hail,  sacred  peace !  hail,  long  expected  days. 
Irradiate,  there  plant  eyes  ;  all  mist  from  thence. 

These  lines,  it  will  be  observed,  are  rather  heavy,  and 
the  more  so  for  containing  two  Spondees. 


CHAP.  VI.]  THE    AMPHIBRACH.  117 

IV.  The  Spondee  has  also  a  rather  harsh  effect  in  the 
fourth  place. 

Ran  nectar,  visiting  each  plant,  and  fed. 
And  hard  that  out  of  Hell  leads  up  to  light. 
Of  ancient  pile  ;  all  else  deep  snow  and  ice. 
High  throned  above  all  height,  bent  down  his  eye. 
To  wreak  on  innocent,  frail  man,  his  loss. 
Meanwhile,  as  Nature  wills,  night  bids  us  rest. 
While  day  arises,  that  sweet  hour  of  prime. 
What  modes  of  light  betwixt  each  wide  extreme. 
That  such  are  happier,  shocks  all  common  sense. 
When  nature,  sickened,  aud  each  gale  was  death. 

The  above  will  suffice  to  show  the  effect  of  the  Spon 
dee  in  the  fourth  place. 

V.  In  the  fifth  place  it  contributes,  if  not  to  melody, 
at  least   to  strength  and  majesty.     A  few  examples  will 
suffice. 

For  God  tow'rds  thee  hath  done  his  part ;  do  thine. 
Came  prologue  and  apology  too  prompt. 
Through  dread  of  worse  ;  to  cling  to  this  rude  rock. 
Her  joys,  at  brightest,  pallid  to  that  font. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE     AMPHIBRACH. 

§  38.   Quantity  of  the  foot  ;  line  of  one  Amphibrach. 

THE  Amphibrach  is  composed  of  three  syllables ;  the 
first  short,  the  second  long,  and  the  third  short :  as,  de 
fenceless,  uncommon,  delightful. 


118  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

The  Amphibrach,  though  reckoned  as  a  secondary  foot, 
is  sometimes  employed  throughout  the  line.  In  this  case, 
however,  the  line  is  composed  of  only  one  or  two  feet. 

In  the  following  examples  we  have  three  lines,  each 
composed  of  a  single  Amphibrach  : 

Roses  and  lilies  her  cheeks  disclose, 
But  her  ripe  lips  are  more  sweet  than  those  ; 
Press  her, 
Caress  her, 
With  blisses 
Her  kisses 
Dissolve  us  in  pleasure  and  soft  repose. 

Beggars"  Opera,  Act  II.,  Sc.  1. 
Again  : 

Whisp'rings  heard  by  wakeful  maids, 
To  whom  the  night-stars  guide  us ; 
Stolen  walks  through  moonlight  shades, 
With  those  we  love  beside  us  ; 
Hearts  beating,*-^ 
At  meeting  ; 
Tears  starting,  v 
At  parting; 

Oh,  sweet  youth,  how  soon  it  fades  ! 
Sweet  joys  of  youth,  how  fleeting  ! 

MOORE. 

In  this  example  the  sixth  line  and  the  eighth  are  Am- 
phibrachs  by  quantity,  and  the  fifth  and  seventh  are  made 
so  by  emphasis. 

As  this  measure  corresponds  to  the  shortest  species  of 
Iambic  line  (§  2),  the  student  is  referred  to  that  section 
for  another  example.  These  examples  will  suffice  for 
this  measure,  and  we  will  proceed  to  the  line  composed  of 
two  Amphibrachs. 

§  39.  Line  of  two  Amphibrachs. 

This  line,  like  the  preceding,  is  exceedingly  rare.  It 
has  an  agreeable  effect,  as  the  following  example  will 
show : 


CHAP.  VI.]  TEE   AMPHIBRACH.  119 

Now  cold  and  denying, 
Now  kind  and  complying, 
Consenting,  repenting, ' 
Disdaining,  complaining, 
Indiff'rence  now  feigning, 
Again  with  quick  feet  the  ground  beat,  beat,  beat. 

Comus  (Stage  ed.),  Act  II.,  Sc.  1. 

BURNS  has  alternated  this  line  to  great  advantage  with 
the  Iambus  of  three  feet,  at  the  close  of  several  stanzas  in 
his  Epistle  to  Davie  : 

It  warms  me,  it  charms  me, 

To  mention  but  her  name  ; 
It  heats  me,  it  beats  me, 

And  sets  me  a'  on  flame  ! 

Thou  Being,  All-seeing, 

O  hear  my  fervent  prayer ; 
Still  take  her,  and  make  her 

Thy  most  peculiar  care  ! 

It  lightens,  it  brightens, 

The  tenebrific  scene, 
To  meet  with,  and  greet  with 

My  Dame  or  my  Jean. 

The  first  and  the  third  lines  of  each  of  these  portions 
of  stanzas  are  composed  of  two  Amphibrachs,  and  the 
effect  is  very  beautiful. 

When  intermingled  with  other  short  measures,  this  line 
has  a  very  animated  effect.  Witness  the  following  : 

But  sense  gives  a  grace 
To  the  homeliest  face  : 
Wise  books  and  reflection 
Will  mend  the  complexion : 
(A  civil  divine ! 
I  suppose,  meaning  mine  !) 
No  lady  who  wants  them 

Can  ever  be  handsome. 

DEAN  SWIFT. 


120  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  i. 

As  a  secondary  foot,  the  Amphibrach  is  not  infre 
quently  used  in  heroic  measure  for  the  sake  of  variety, 
and  then  it  increases  the  rapidity  of  the  movement : 

Full  many  a  gem  of  purest  ray  serene 

The  dark  unfa;homed  caves  of  ocean  bear  ; 

Full  many  a  flower  is  born  to  blush  unseen, 
And  waste  its  fragrance  on  the  desert  air. 

In  this  example,  the  first  foot  of  the  first  line  and  of 
the  third  may  be  regarded  as  Amphibrachs,  or  they  may 
be  regarded  as  Iambuses  followed  by  Anapests.  And 
generally,  whenever  the  Anapest  occurs  in  the  middle  of 
the  line,  intermingled  with  other  feet,  the  line  may  be 
considered  as  containing  either  an  Amphibrach  and  an 
Iambus,  or  an  Iambus  and  an  Anapest. 

But  the  most  frequent  and  happiest  instance  of  this 
foot,  is  produced  when  it  ends  the  line.  Various  exam 
ples  have  been  given  of  this  measure,  when  treating  of 
the  Iambus ;  for  it  will  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  Iambic 
line  frequently  closes  with  an  Amphibrach.  The  follow 
ing  example,  already  quoted  in  illustration  of  the  Iambus, 
will  suffice  : 

And  prove  their  doctrine  orthodox 
By  apostolic  blows  and  knocks  : 
Call  fire  and  sword  and  desolation 
A  godly  thorough  reformation,  etc. 

BUTLER. — Hudibras. 

This  measure  is  admirably  adapted  to  burlesque  pieces, 
as  may  be  seen  in  various  passages  of  Hudibras,  and  BY 
RON'S  Beppa.  It  is  always  well  adapted  to  gay  subjects. 
For  further  remarks  on  this  foot  used  as  a  secondary  one, 
the  student  is  referred  to  what  has  already  been  said  of  it 
when  treating  of  the  Iambus. 


CHAP.  VII.]  THE    TRIBRACH.  121 

CHAPTER  VII. 

THE     TRIBRACH. 

§40.   Quantity  of  the  Tribrach. 

THE  Tribrach,  composed  of  three  short  syllables,  is  not 
often  used,  and  always  for  the  sake  of  variety  alone. 
MILTON,  who  understood  the  advantages  resulting  from 
variety  in  blank  verse,  has  employed  this  and  the  other 
secondary  feet  as  often,  and  as  happily,  as  any  of  the  Poets. 
This  foot  is  used  sparingly.  Its  effect  is  better  in  blank 
verse  than  in  rhyme.  It  is  employed  in  the  second,  third, 
and  fourth  places  of  the  line. 

I.  In  the  second  place,  its  effect  is  not  agreeable : 

Innumerable,  before  the  Almighty's  throne. 
Immediately  inordinate  desires. 
Inhospitably,  and  kills  their  infant  males. 

II.  In  the  third  place,  it  is  more  agreeable  than  in  any 
other;  and  it  may  be  remarked  generally,  that  feet  com- 
posed  of  short  syllables  should  be  placed  as  near  as  possi. 
ble  to  the  middle  of  the  line,  while  the  Spondee  should  be 
near  the  beginning  : 

Amongst  innumerable  stars  that  shone. 
The  portal  shone  inimitable  on  earth. 

III.  In  the  fourth  place,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  melo 
dy  of  the  verse  is  rather  injured  than  improved  by  this 
foot;  but  the  harmony  may  still  be  improved,  on  account 
of  the  pleasing  variety  produced  by  a  large  number  of 
short  syllables. 


122  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    DACTYLE. 

THE  Dactyle  is  composed  of  one  long  syllable  and  two 
short.  It  is  never  used  except  as  a  secondary  foot,  and 
then  in  the  first  place  of  the  line.  Milton  has  admitted 
this  foot  with  great  beauty.  Dryden  and  Pope  seem  to 
have  studiously  avoided  it.  It  is  scarcely  ever  employed  by 
either  of  them ;  and,  when  employed,  it  has  been  forced 
upon  them  by  the  pronunciation  of  some  proper  name, 
which  could  not  well  be  wrought  into  any  other  part  of 
the  line.  Thomson  has  made  use  of  this  foot  in  a 
few  instances,  to  advantage.  This  foot  is  more  rarely 
employed  than  any  other.  It  is  to  be  regretted,  since  it 
possesses  so  much  beauty,  that  it  has  not  been  oftener 
employed.  The  following  examples  will  show  that  its 
effect  is  always  good. 

And  first,  from  MILTON  : 

Murmuring,  and  with  him  fled  the  shades  of  night. 
Following  his  track,  such  was  the  will  of  heaven. 
Suppliant  the  venerable  father  stands. 
Abdiel,  than  whom  none  with  more  zeal  adored. 
Chariots,  and  flaming  arms,  and  fiery  steeds. 
Zdphiel,  of  cherubim  the  swiftest  wing. 
Myriads,  between  two  brazen  mountains  lodged. 
Numerous,  and  every  star  perhaps  a  world. 

Again,  from  THOMSON  : 

Sheltering,  embrace,  direct  their  lazy  flight. 


CHAP.  VIII.]  THE    DACTYLE.  123 

Issuing  from  out  the  portals  of  the  morn. 
Myriads  of  gems,  that  in  the  waving  gleam. 

Again,  from  Dr.  YOUNG  : 

Measuring  his  motions  by  revolving  spheres. 
Punctual  as  lovers  to  the  moment  sworn. 
Glittering  a  moment,  nor  that  moment  sure. 

Again,  from  ROGERS  : 

Whispering  seraphic  visions  of  her  heaven. 
Glittering  the  river  ran  ;  and  on  the  bank. 
Bartering  my  bread  and  salt  for  empty  praise. 
Following  his  track  to  glory.     He  returned  not. 
Answering  each  other  as  in  mockery  ! 
Dangerous  and  sweet,  charmed  Venice.     As  for  me. 
Numbering  eight  Doges — to  convey  her  home. 

We  have  now  said  all  that  we  intended  to  say  upon  the 
different  kinds  of  feet  and  their  combinations,  and  have 
given  numerous  examples,  fully  illustrating  the  power  of 
each  foot  and  each  measure.  It  will  be  perceived  that  the 
variety  of  measure,  by  means  of  the  different  feet,  is  un 
limited.  All  subjects,  "  from  grave  to  gay,  from  lively  to 
severe."  may  be  appropriately  treated  in  some  one  of  these 
measures.  The  student  will  find  that  no  language  con 
tains  such  a  vast  variety  of  measure  as  the  English.  The 
Greek  and  Latin  heroic  measure  admitted  only  two  kinds 
of  feet ;  and  though  these  were  differently  disposed,  it  is 
doubted  whether  the  variety  was  any  greater  than  in  the 
blank  verse  of  Milton.  The  French  language  having, 
properly  speaking,  no  accented  syllables,  has  only  one 
foot;  and  this,  being  always  of  two  syllables,  the  verse  is 


124  QUANTITY.  [TIT.  I. 

so  monotonous  as  to  tire  any  ear  accustomed  to  the  har 
mony  of  English  verse.  We  shall  see,  in  the  next  Section, 
that  our  verse  has  a  great  advantage  over  most  other  mo 
dern  languages  in  the  disposition  of  the  csesural  pause. 
To  this  we  now  proceed. 


TITLE  II. 

CONSTRUCTION. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE      PAUSES. 

§  41.   The  Casural  Pause. 

IT  is  important  to  distinguish  between  the  csesural 
pause  in  English,  and  other  modern  languages,  and  the 
caesura  of  Greek  and  Latin  verse.  In  the  latter  the  ccesura, 
from  cado  to  cut,  was  the  cutting  of  a  word  so  as  to  make 
its  final  long  syllable  begin  the  next  foot.  For  exam 
ple,  in  the  following  line, 

Tityre,  lu  patu||lse  recu||bans  sub  tegmine  fagi, 

the  two  syllables  la  and  bans  are  caesuras,  because  they 
are  each  long  syllables  final,  and  begin  a  foot.  So  in  the 
lines  following  this,  it  will  be  observed  that  each  long  syl 
lable  final,  which  begins  another  foot,  is  a  caesura : 

Sylves|]trem  tenu||i  Musam  meditaris  avena  ; 

Nos  patri||ae  fin||es  et  dulcia  linquimus  arva  ; 

Nos  patri|]am  fugi||mus  !  tu,  Tityre,  lentus  in  umbra, 

Formo|]sam  resonare  dojjces  Amaryllida  silvas. 


126  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

In  the  modern  languages  the  caesura,  or  caesural  pause, 
is  the  pause  which  divides  a  line  into  two  parts,  called 
hemistichs.  In  the  disposition  of  the  caesura,  English 
verse  possesses  an  immense  advantage  over  the  other  mo 
dern  languages.  Dryden  tells  us  that  the  French  had  no 
caesura  in  their  heroic  line  till  Malherbe  introduced  it.  They 
place  their  pause  in  the  middle  of  their  Alexandrine  or 
heroic  line,  and  after  the  fourth  syllable  of  the  line  of  ten 
syllables.  With  them,  no  line  of  less  than  ten  syllables 
has  a  caesura.  We  will  give  an  example  of  the  line  of 
twelve  syllables,  with  the  pause  marked  : 

Non,  je  ne  puis  souffrir  |J  cette  l&che  methode 

Qu'  affectent  la  plupart  |]  de  vos  gens  a.  la  mode  ; 

Et  je  ne  hais  rien  tant  J|  que  les  contortions 

De  tous  ces  grands  faiseurs  ||  de  protestations, 

Ces  affables  donneurs  |]  d'  embrassades  frivoles, 

Ces  obligeants  diseurs  |j  d'  inutiles  paroles, 

Qui  de  civilites  J|  avec  tous  font  combat, 

Et  traitent  du  meme  air  j]  1'  honnete  homme  et  le  fat. 

Quel  avantage  a-t-on  II  qu'un  homme  vous  caresse, 

Vous  jure  amitie,  ||  foi,  zele,  estime,  tendresse, 

Et  vousfasse  de  vous  ||  un  eloge  eclatant, 

Lorsqu'  au  premier  faquin  ||  il  court  en  faire  autant  1 

Non,  non,  il  n'  est  point  d'  ame  ||  un  peu  bien  situee 

Qui  venille  d'  une  estime  ||  ainsi  prostituee  ; 

Et  la  plus  glorieuse  )]  a  des  regals  peu  chers, 

Des  qu'  on  voit  qu'  on  nous  mele  |]  avec  tout  1'  univers. 

Sur  quelque  preference  |j  une  estime  se  fonde, 

Et  c'  est  n'  estimer  rien  |]  qu'  estimer  tout  le  monde. 

Puisque  vous  y  donnez,  |j  dans  ces  vices  du  temps, 

Marbleu  !  vous  n'  eles  pas  H  pour  etre  de  mes  gens  ; 

Je  refuse  d'  un  cceur  j|  la  vaste  complaisance 

Qui  ne  fait  de  merite  |]  aucune  difference  : 

Je  veux  qu'  on  me  distingue  ;  ||  et,  pour  le  trancher  net, 

L'  ami  du  genre  humain  |]  n'  est  point  du  tout  mon  fait. 

MOLIERE. — Misanthrope,  Act  I.  Sc.  1. 


CHAP.  IX.]  THE   PAUSES.  127 

This  example  will  suffice  to  show  the  monotony  of 
French  heroic  verse,  and  this  monotony  is  owing  not  only 
to  the  fact  that  there  is  only  one  foot  of  two  syllables  in 
French,  but  also  to  the  caesura's  being  placed  uniformly 
in  the  middle  of  the  line. 

We  will  now  give  an  example  of  the  line  often  sylla 
bles,  in  which  the  caesura  falls  uniformly  after  the  fourth 
syllable.  This  corresponds  to  our  line  of  eight  syllables. 

In  both,  the  caesura  falls  after  the  fourth  syllable,  and 
in  both  the  monotony  is  tiresome.  Witness  the  following 
example : 

Un  fanfaron,  ||  amateur  de  la  chasse, 

Venant  de  perdre  |j  un  chien  de  bonne  race, 

Qu'  il  soup<jonnait  ||  dans  le  corp  d'  un  lion, 

Vit  un  berger:  ||  enseigne-moi,  de  gra.ce, 

De  mon  voleur,  ||  lui  dit-il,  la  maison, 

Que  de  ce  pas  ||  je  me  fasse  raison. 

Le  berger  dit :  ||  c'  est  vers  cette  montagne. 

En  lui  payant  ||  de  tribut  un  mouton 

Par  chaque  mois  ;  [|  j'erre  dans  la  campagne 

Comme  il  me  plait,  ||  et  je  suis  en  repos. 

Dans  le  moment  ||  qu'  ils  tenaient  ces  propos, 

Le  lion  sort,  ||  et  vint  d'  un  pas  agile. 

Le  fanfaron  ||  aussitot  d'  esquiver  : 

"  O  Jupiter,  ||  montre-moi  quelque  asile, 

S'  ecria-t-il !  ||  qui  me  puisse  sauver !" 

La  male  epreuve  du  courage, 

JV'  est  que  dans  le  danger  |]  que  I'  on  touche  du  doigt ; 
Tel  le  cherchait,  dit-il,  \\  qui,  changeant  de  langage, 

S'  enfuit  aussitdt  qu'  il  le  voit. 

LA  FONTAINE. — Le  lion  et  le  chasseur. 

Here  it  will  be  seen  that,  in  the  two  lines  next  to  the 
last,  the  caesura  falls  in  the  middle,  these  being  lines  of 
twelve  syllables,  and  in  the  line  preceding  these,  as  well 
as  that  following,  there  is  no  caesura,  these  being  lines  of 
only  eight  syllables. 


128  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

In  English  verse,  our  line  of  twelve  syllables  (the 
Alexandrine)  takes  the  pause  in  the  middle,  after  the  man- 
ner  of  the  French  :  but  our  formo.  Hn^  ^f  ten  Fyllgbl^q 
dcMSiS  not,  like  the_FVeneh,  take  the  pause  uniformly  after 
the  fouirtl^svllable.^_ltjs  varied^  as  will' be  seen  hereaf 
ter,  so  as  to  fali^  in  one  of  at  least  four  different  places . 
Our  line  of  four  feet,  sometimes  called  the  octo-syllabic 
line,  takes  its  pause  in  the  middle  of  the  line,  and  the 
monotony  is  disagreeable.  Our  lines  of  less  than  eight 
syllables  have  not  uniformly  a  pause.  The  caesural  pause, 
though  not  indispensable  to  English  verse,  adds  greatly  to 
its  harmony,  and  a  good  line  can  scarcely  be  found  with 
out  it.  It  is  generally  placed  after  either  the  fourth,  the 
fifth,  the  sixth,  or  the  seventh  syllable.  When  it  corres 
ponds  with  the  pause  required  by  the  sense,  the  melody  is 
complete. 

Before  proceeding  to  give  examples  of  this  pause,  we 
shall  lay  down  the  rules  established  on  this  subject ;  and 
for  these  we  are  indebted  chiefly  to  Lord  Kames,  who  has 
treated  of  the  csesural  pause  in  a  masterly  manner. 

The  principal  rules  laid  down  by  Kames,  and  of  which 
he  has  explained  the  reasons  in  full,  are  the  following : 

I.  The  csesural  pause  should  never  divide  a  word.* 

II.  The  csesural  pause  should  never  separate   an  ad 
jective  from  the  noun  immediately  following. 

III.  An  adverb,  preceding  the  verb  which  it  modifies, 
does  not  admit  of  a  pause  between  it  and  the  verb. 

IV.  A  pause  may  be  inserted  between  the  active  verb 
and  the  object  on  which  it  is  exerted. 

V.  Words  connected  by  conjunctions  and  prepositions, 
admit  a  pause  between  the  first  word  and  the  connective, 
but  not  between  the  connective  and  the  last  word. 

*  The  secondary  pause,  of  which  hereafter,  may  divide  a  word. 


CHAP.  IX.]  THE    PAUSES.  129 

VI.  Adverbs  and   adjectives  admit  a  pause  between 
themselves  and  the  words  which  they  modify,  when  the 
words  so  modified  precede  their  modifiers. 

VII.  In  general,  the  pause  may  fall  in  any  place  not 
prohibited  by  the  preceding  rules. 

"  What  is  said  about  the  pause,"  says  Kames,  "  leads 
to  a  general  observation,  that  the  natural  order  of  placing 
the  active  substantive  and  its  verb,  is  more  friendly  to  a 
pause  than  the  inverted  order ;  but  that  in  all  the  other 
connections,  inversion  affords  a  far  better  opportunity  for 
a  pause.  And  hence,"  he  continues,  "  the  great  advantage 
of  blank  verse  over  rhyme ;  its  privilege  of  inversion 
giving  it  a  much  greater  choice  of  pauses,  than  can  be 
had  in  the  natural  order  of  arrangement." 

From  the  following  examples  of  the  pause,  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  nearer  it  comes  to  the  beginning  of  the  line, 
the  brisker  is  the  movement ;  the  nearer  it  comes  to  the 
middle  of  the  line,  the  more  uniform  is  the  movement ; 
the  nearer  it  comes  to  the  end  of  the  line,  the  slower  is 
the  movement.  Hence  we  may  account  for  the  fact  that 
the  greatest  harmony  of  a  series  of  lines  does  not  always 
consist  with  the  greatest  melody  of  these  lines  considered 
by  themselves.  The  greatest  melody  requiring  the  pause 
in  the  middle  of  the  line,  it  is  obvious  that  this  would  result 
in  a  series  of  lines,  melodious,  indeed,  but  monotonous  in 
the  extreme,  and  for  this  reason  devoid  of  harmony,  which 
abhors  monotony.  This  will  also  explain,  what  to  some 
has  appeared  unaccountable,  that  in  Milton  we  often  meet 
with  passages  sweet  as  the  notes  of  Orpheus'  lyre,  but 
made  up  of  lines  either  indifferently  smooth  or  positively 
harsh  and  prosaic. 

As  illustrations  of  the  above  remarks,  we  will  give 
some  examples  from  our  best  poets.  And  first  from  Pope, 
who  understood  the  music  of  English  numbers  better  than 


130  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

any  that  had  gone  before  him,  if  we  except  Milton,  and 
incontestably  better  than  any  that  have  followed  him.* 

Ye  Sylphs  and  Sylphids,  ||  to  your  chief  give  ear; 
Fays,  Fairies,  Genii,  Elves,  ||  and  Demons  hear ; 
Ye  know  the  spheres,  ||  and  various  tasks  assigned 
By  laws  eternal  ||  to  the  aerial  kind. 
Some  in  the  fields  ||  of  purest  ether  play, 
And  bask  and  whiten  ||  in  the  blaze  of  day  ; 
Some  guide  the  course  ||  of  wandering  orbs  on  high, 
Or  roll  the  planets  ||  through  the  boundless  sky ; 
Some,  less  refined,  ||  beneath  the  moon's  pale  light, 
Pursue  the  stars,  ||  that  shoot  athwart  the  night, 
Or  suck  the  mists  ||  in  grosser  air  below, 
Or  dip  their  pinions  ||  in  the  painted  bow, 
Or  brew  fierce  tempests  ||  o'er  the  wintry  main, 
Or  o'er  the  glebe  ||  distil  the  kindly  rain. 
Others  on  earth,  ||  o'er  human  race  preside, 
Watch  all  their  ways,  ||  and  all  their  actions  guide  ; 
Of  these  the  chief  ||  the  cares  of  nations  own, 
And  guard  with  arms  divine  ||  the  British  throne. 

Rape  of  the  Lock,   Canto  II. 

It  will  be  seen  that  in  this  example  the  pause  falls 
generally  after  the  second,  or  in  the  middle  of  the  third 
foot.  These  are  the  places  in  which  the  pause  contributes 
most  to  melody.  Witness  the  following  passage  : 

But  anxious  cares  ||  the  pensive  nymph  oppressed, 
And  secret  passions  ||  laboured  in  her  breast. 
Not  youthful  kings  ||  in  battle  seized  alive, 
Not  scornful  virgins  ||  who  their  charms  survive, 
Not  ardent  lovers  ||  robbed  of  all  their  bliss, 
Not  ancient  ladies  ||  when  refused  a  kiss, 
Not  tyrants  fierce,  ||  that  unrepenting  die, 
Not  Cynthia,  ||  when  her  mantua's  pinned  awry, 
E'er  felt  such  rage,  ||  resentment,  and  despair, 
As  thou,  sad  virgin  !  ||  for  thy  ravished  hair. 

Id.  Canto  IV. 

*  In  this  example,  and  those  which  follow,  the  place  of  the  pause 
is  indicated  by  parallel  lines. 


CHAP.   IX.]  THE    PAUSES.  131 

These  lines,  like  the  preceding,  taking  the  pause  after 
the  second,  or  in  the  middle  of  the  third  foot,  are  brisk 
and  melodious.  Indeed,  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  more 
melodious  passages  than  the  foregoing  in  our  language. 

The  following  is  less  brisk,  but  scarcely  less  melo 
dious  : 

Lo,  the  poor  Indian !  ||  whose  untutored  mind 
Sees  God  in  clouds,  ||  or  hears  him  in  the  wind  ! 
His  soul  proud  science  ||  never  taught  to  stray 
Far  as  the  solar  walk,  ||  or  milky  way  ; 
Yet  simple  nature  ||  to  his  hope  has  given 
Behind  the  cloud-topped  hill  ||  an  humbler  heaven  ; 
Some  safer  world,  ||  in  depth  of  woods  embraced, 
Some  happier  island  ||  in  the  watery  waste, 
Where  slaves  once  more  ||  their  native  land  behold, 
No  fiends  torment,  ||  no  Christians  thirst  for  gold. 

Essay  on  Man,  Epistle  I. 

These  examples  will  suffice  to  show  the  effect  of  the 
csesural  pause  in  Rhyme.  We  shall  now  give  some  ex 
amples  from  Milton,  to  show  its  effect  in  Blank  Verse,  and 
here  we  shall  see  that  it  does  not  fall  so  uniformly  in  the 
middle  of  the  line.  We  shall  also  find  that,  though  the 
melody  is  less  perfect,  the  harmony,  as  in  most  parts  of 
Milton,  is  truly  divine. 

High  on  a  throne  ||  of  regal  state,  which  far 

Outshone  the  wealth  ||  of  Ormus  and  of  Ind, 

Or  where  the  gorgeous  east  ||  with  richest  hand 

Showers  on  her  kings  ||  barbaric  pearl  and  gold, 

Satan  exalted  sat,  ||  by  merit  raised 

To  that  bad  eminence  ;  \\  and,  from  despair 

Thus  high  uplifted  ||  beyond  hope,  aspires 

Beyond  thus  high,  ||  insatiate  to  pursue 

Vain  war  with  Heaven,  ||  and  by  success  untaught, 

His  proud  imaginations  ||  thus  displayed. 

Paradise  Lost,  B.  II. 


132  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

Again : 

Now  morn,  her  rosy  steps  ||  in  th'  eastern  clime 
Advancing,  sowed  the  earth  ||  with  orient  pearl, 
When  Adam  waked,  |j  so  customed  ;   for  his  sleep 
Was  airy  light,  ||  from  pure,  digestion  bred, 
And  temperate  vapours  bland,  ||  which  th'  only  sound 
Of  leaves  and  fuming  rills,  ||  Aurora's  fan, 
Lightly  dispersed,  ||  and  the  shrill  matin  song 
Of  birds  on  every  bough  ;  ||  so  much  the  more 
His  wonder  was  ||  to  find  unwakened  Eve 
With  tresses  discomposed,  ||  and  glowing  cheek, 
As  through  unquiet  rest :  ||  he  on  his  side 
Leaning  half  raised,  ||  with  looks  of  cordial  love, 
Hung  over  her  enamoured,  ||  and  beheld 
Beauty,  which,  whether  waking  j|  or  asleep, 
Shot  forth  peculiar  graces  ;  ||  then,  with  voice 
Mild,  as  when  Zephyrus  ||  on  Flora  breathes, 
Her  hand  soft  touching,  ||  whispered  thus :  "  Awake, 
My  fairest,  my  espoused,  ||  my  latest  found, 
Heaven's  last,  best  gift,  ||  my  ever  new  delight, 
Awake  ;  the  morning  shines,  ||  and  the  fresh  field 
Calls  us  ;  we  lose  the  prime,  ||  to  mark  how  spring 
Our  tended  plants,  ||  how  blows  the  citron  grove, 
What  drops  the  myrrh,  ||  and  what  the  balmy  reed, 
How  nature  paints  her  colours,  ||  how  the  bee 
Sits  on  the  bloom,  ||  extracting  liquid  sweet." 

Id.  Book  V. 

Our  next  example  shall  be  from  Cowper,  and  it  may 
be  remarked  that  in  his  poems  the  Caesura  is  less  sensible 
than  in  Milton.  He  is  also  far  inferior  in  the  sweetness 
of  his  numbers.  He  allowed  himself  far  greater  license 
than  Milton,  both  in  the  frequent  admission  of  the  second 
ary  feet,  and  in  the  disposition  of  them.  To  one  whose 
ear  has  been  tuned  in  the  reading  of  Paradise  Lost,  the 
Task  is  harsh,  and  in  many  places,  as  far  at  least  as  the 
construction  is  concerned,  prosaic.  It  is  to  be  regretted 
that  one  of  sentiments  so  delicate,  and  taste  so  refined* 


CHAP.  IX.]  THE    PAUSES.  133 

should  have  admitted  additional  licenses  into  English 
verse,  and  thereby  opened  wide  the  doors  for  the  anarchy 
of  style  and  metre  that  distinguishes  the  rhapsodies  of  a 
prominent  class  of  poets  of  the  present  century,  of  the 
head  of  whom  Byron  has  said,  with  as  much  truth  as  bitter- 
ness,  that  he  shows. 

"  That  prose  is  verse,  and  verse  is  merely  prose." 

By  these  remarks  we  by  no  means  intend  to  say,  that 
Cowper  allowed  himself  all  the  licenses  found  in  the  writ 
ings  of  those  who  cite  his  authority  for  every  departure 
from  the  established  rules  of  English  verse.  His  minor 
pieces  possess  a  certain  terseness  and  delicacy  of  expres 
sion  which  show  that  he  was  not  ignorant  of  poetical  rules, 
and  that,  if  he  ever  departed  from  them,  it  was  from  a  de 
sire  to  sacrifice  smoothness  to  strength.  It  would  not, 
perhaps,  be  possible  to  find  in  any  English  poet,  more 
faultless  productions  than  the  occasional  pieces  of  Cow 
per,  and  we  should  not  believe,  were  we  not  assured  of 
the  fact,  that  they  were  written  by  the  author  of  the 
Translation  of  Homer,  and  of  the  Task.  As  an  illustra 
tion  of  these  remarks,  witness  the  following  : 

By  ceaseless  action  j|  all  that  is  subsists. 

Constant  rotation  ||  of  the  unwearied  wheel 

That  Nature  rides  upon,  fj  maintains  her  health, 

Her  beauty,  her  fertility.  ||  She  dreads 

An  instant's  pause,  ||  and  lives  but  while  she  moves  ; 

Us  own  revolvency  j|  upholds  the  world, 

Winds  from  all  quarters  ||  agitate  the  air, 

And  fit  the  limpid  element  ||  for  use, 

Else  noxious ;  |j  oceans,  rivers,  lakes,  and  streams, 

All  feel  the  freshening  impulse,  ||  and  are  cleans'd 

By  restless  uudulation  :  ||  e'en  the  oak 

Thrives  by  the  rude  concussion  ||  of  the  storm, 

This  is  among  the  more  harmonious  passages  of  the 

7 


134  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT. 

Task,  and  we  have  only  to  compare  it  wkh  Milton  to  see 
how  infinitely  Cowper  falls  below  him  both  in  poetical  dic 
tion  and  in  the  sweetness  of  his  numbers, 

We   will   now  give  one  example  of  the   Spenserean 
stanza,  and  this  shall  be  from  BYRON'S  Childe  Harold  : 
And  yet  how  lovely  \]  in  thine  age  of  wo, 

Land  of  lost  gods  ||  and  godlike  men  !  art  thou  r. 
Thy  vales  of  evergreen,  \\  thy  hills  of  snow, 
Proclaim  thee  ||  Nature's  varied  favorite  now  ; 
Thy  fanes,  thy  temples,  [|  to  thy  surface  bow, 
Commingling  slowly  [|  with  heroic  earth, 

Broke  by  the  share  H  of  every  rustic  plow  ; 
So  perish  monuments  |]  of  mortal  birth, 
So  perish  all  in  turn  [|  save  well-recorded  worth  ~T 

Save  where  some  solitary  column  |)  mourns 

Above  its  prostrate  brethren  1)  of  the  cave  ; 
Save  where  Tritonia's  airy  shrine  ||  adorns 

Colonna's  cliff,  H  and  gleams  along  the  wave  ; 
Save  o'er  some  warrior's  half-forgotten  grave, 
Where  the  gray  stones  \\  and  unmolested  grass 

Ages,  but  not  oblivion,  H  feebly  brave, 
While  strangers  U  only  not  regardless  pass, 
Lingering  like  me,  perchance,  [j  to  gaze  and  sigh  "  alas." 
In  the  last  stanza,  the  fifth  line  has  absolutely  no  cae 
sura,  and  the   melody  of  this  line   is  thereby  materially 
injured.     And   it   may  be   laid  down,  as  a  rule,  that  no 
line  can  be  melodious  without  a  distinct  csesural  pause. 
This  pause  sometimes  corresponds  to  the  pause  required 
by  the  sense,  and  sometimes  it  does  not.     When  it  corres 
ponds  to  the  sense  pause,  the   melody  is  complete.     It  is 
worthy  of  remark,  that,  in  the   Alexandrine   the   caesura 
falls  uniformly  in  the  middle  of  the  line. 

From  the  preceding  rules  and  examples  it  will  be  easy 
for  the  student  to  fix  upon  the  place  of  the  caesura  in  any 
given  verse,  and  to  detect  the  absence  of  it,  if  it  be 
wanting. 


CJHAl1.   IX.]  THE    PAUSES.  135 

These  rules  and  observations  apply  more  particularly 
to  the  heroic  line.  In  the  octo-syllabic  line  the  caesura 
falls  generally  in  the  middle  of  the  line  ;  this  is  so  uni 
formly  the  case,  that  this  verse  partakes  of  the  monotony 
of  the  French  heroic  verse,  in  which  the  ccesura  can  fall 
in  no  place  but  in  the  middle  of  the  line.*  A  single  line 
in  which  the  ccesura  falls  in  the  middle,  cannot  fail 
to  be  melodious  ;  but  when  there  is  a  succession  of  lines 
with  the  caesura  disposed  in  this  manner,  their  monotony 
is  sure  to  fatigue  the  ear.  This  is  a  great  advantage, 
and,  it  is  believed,  the  principal  advantage  which  English 
has  over  French  verse.  The  following  example  will  suf 
fice  to  show  the  monotony  of  the  octo-syllabic  line,  com 
pared  with  the  heroic  : 

The  western  waves  ||  of  ebbing  day 
Rolled  o'er  the  glen  |]  their  level  way  ; 
Each  purple  peak,  ||  each  flinty  spire, 
Was  bathed  in  floods  ||  of  living  fire  ; 
But  not  a  setting  ||  beam  could  glow 
Within  the  dark  ||  ravines  below, 
Where  twined  the  path  ||  in  shadow  hid, 
Round  many  ||  a  rocky  pyramid, 
Shooting  abruptly  ||  from  the  dell 
Its  thunder-splintered  ||  pinnacle  ; 
Round  many  ||  an  insulated  mass, 
The  native  bulwarks  ||  of  the  pass, 
Huge  as  the  tower  ||  which  builders  vain 
Presumptuous  piled  ||  on  Shinar's  plain. 

SCOTT. — Lady  of  the  Lake. 

In  this  example  the  ccesura,  in  the  fifth  and  sixth  lines, 
falls  between  an  adjective  and  the  substantive  which  it 
qualifies,  contrary  to  usage,  in  heroic  verse.  But  in  most 
of  the  lines  it  falls  legitimately  in  the  middle,  and  the 

*  Vid.  §41. 


13G  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

melody  is  charming,  but  the  monotony  is  irksome.     Wit 
ness  the  following  example : 

A  kind  of  change  ||  came  in  my  fate, 
My  keepers  grew  ||  compassionate  ; 
I  knew  not  what  ||  had  made  them  so, 
They  were  inured  ||  to  sights  of  wo  ; 
But  so  it  was  : — 1|  my  broken  chain 
With  links  unfastened  ||  did  remain, 
And  it  was  liberty  ||  to  stride 
Along  my  cell  ||  from  side  to  side, 
And  up  and  down,  ||  and  then  athwart, 
And  tread  it  over  ||  ev'ry  part ; 
And  round  the  pillars  ||  one  by  one, 
Returning  where  ||  my  walk  begun, 
Avoiding  only,  ||  as  I  trod, 
My  brother's  graves  ||  without  a  sod  ; 
For  if  I  thought  ||  with  heedless  tread 
My  step  profaned  ||  their  lowly  bed, 
My  breath  came  ||  gaspingly  and  thick, 
And  rny  crushed  heart  ||  fell  blind  and  sick. 

BYRON. — Prisoners  of  Chilian. 


§  42.   Secondary  Pauses. 

The  above  observations,  illustrated  as  they  are  by 
numerous  examples,  will  suffice  for  the  csesural  pause. 
This  is  generally  called  the  principal  pause,  for,  besides 
this,  there  are  two  other  pauses,  the  one  preceding  and  the 
other  following  it,  called  secondary  pauses.  These  are 
called  secondary  pauses  because  they  are  not  essential  to 
English  verse,  as  the  principal  pause  is,  nor  are  they  so 
sensible  to  the  ear. 

That  secondary  pause  which  precedes  the  principal 
pause,  falls  uniformly  after  the  first  long  syllable  ;  and 
that  which  follows  the  principal  pause,  generally  follows 
after  the  fourth  foot,  but  may  fall  after  the  third,  in  the 


CHAP.   IX.]  THE    PAUSES.  137 

middle  of  the  third,  or  in  the  middle  of  the  fifth.  Pope, 
who  understood  the  power  of  English  numbers  better  than 
any  other,  has  disposed  of  the  pauses,  both  principal  and 
secondary,  to  the  best  advantage.  This  the  following  ex 
amples  will  show  : 

But  now  secure  ||  the  painted  vessel  glides, 
The  sunbeams  trembling  ||  on  the  floating  tides  : 
While  melting  music  ||  steals  upon  the  sky, 
And  softened  sounds  ||  along  the  water  die; 
Smooth  flow  the  waves,  ||  the  zephyrs  gently  play, 
Belinda  smiled,  ||  and  all  the  world  was  gay. 
All  but  the  Sylph  ;  ||  with  careful  thoughts  (  ppressed, 
Th'  impending  woe  ||  sat  heavy  on  his  breast  ; 
He  summons  straight  ||  his  denizens  of  air : 
The  lucid  squadrons  ||  round  the  sails  repair : 
Soft  o'er  the  shrouds  ||  aerial  whispers  breathe, 
That  seemed  but  zephyrs  ||  to  the  train  beneath. 
Some  to  the  sun  ||  their  insect  wings  unfold, 
Waft  on  the  breeze,  ||  or  sink  in  clouds  of  gold  ; 
Transparent  forms  ||  too  fine  for  mortal  sight, 
Their  fluid  bodies  ||  half  dissolved  in  light. 
Loose  to  the  wind  ||  their  airy  garments  flew, 
Thin  glittering  textures  |]  of  the  filmy  dew, 
Dipped  in  the  richest  tinctures  ||  of  the  skies, 
Where  light  disports  ||  in  ever  mingling  dyes. 

Rape  of  the  Lock. 

It  will  be  seen  by  this  example  that  the  secondary 
pause,  unlike  the  principal  pause,  may  separate  a  word  ; 
though  like  that,  it  has  the  best  effect  when  it  falls  in  the 
place  of  the  sense  pauses.  One  more  example,  from  MIL 
TON,  will  complete  what  we  have  to  say  of  the  secondary 
pause. 

With  thee  conversing  ||  I  forget  all  time  ; 
All  seasons  and  their  change,  ||  all  please  alike. 
Sweet  is  the  breath  of  morn,  ||  her  rising  sweet, 
With  charm  of  earliest  birds  ;  ||  pleasant  the  sun, 


138  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.   11. 

When  first  on  this  delightful  land  ||  he  spreads 
His  orient  beams  ||  on  herb,  tree,  fruit,  and  flower, 
Glistering  with  dew  ;  ||  fragrant  the  fertile  earth 
After  soft  showers  •,  ||  and  sweet  the  coming  on 
Of  grateful  evening  mild  ;  ||  then  silent  night 
With  this  her  solemn  bird,||  and  this  fair  moon, 
And  thfese  the  gems  of  heaven  ||  her  starry  train  ; 
But  neither  breath  of  morn,  ||  when  she  ascends 
With  charm  of  earliest  birds  ;  ||  nor  rising  sun 
On  this  delightful  land  ;  ||  nor  herb,  fruit,  flower, 
Glist'ring  with  dew  ;  ||  nor  fragrance  after  showers  ; 
Nor  grateful  evening  mild  ;  |)  nor  silent  night 
With  this  her  solemn  bird,  ||  nor  walk  by  noon, 
Or  glittering  star-light,  ||  without  thee  is  sweet. 

Paradise  Lost,  B.  IV. 

It  has  been  remarked  above,  that  the  secondary  pause 
is  not  essential  to  English  verse,  and  lines  frequently  occur 
in  which  the  secondary  pause  following  the  principal 
pause,  is  wanting,  though  never  is  that  preceding  the 
principal  pause  wanting.  That  the  proper  disposition  of 
the  pause  is  one  of  the  chief  elements  of  melody  in  verse, 
is  obvious  to  every  delicate  ear.  That  couplet  often 
quoted  from  DENHAM'S  Cooper's  Hill  is  one  of  the  sweet 
est  in  our  language,  and  it  owes  its  sweetness  to  the  happy 
disposition  of  the  csesural  pauses.  In  the  first  line  the 
principal  pause  falls  after  the  second  foot,  the  first  sec 
ondary  after  the  first  foot,  and  the  last  secondary 
after  the  fourth.  In  the  second  line,  the  principal 
pause  falls  after  the  second  foot,  the  first  secondary  in  the 
middle  of  the  first  foot,  and  the  last  secondary  in  the  mid 
dle  of  the  fourth.  Observe  the  easy  flow  of  these  two 
lines : 

Though  deep,  yet  clear,  |j  though  gentle,  yet  not.  dull : 
Strong,  without  rage,  ||  without  o'erflowing  full. 
I  cannot  deny  myself  the  pleasure  of  giving  one  more 
example  from  POPK,  in   which   the  pauses,  both  cresural 
and  secondary,  are  disposed  with  admirable  art. 


CHAP.  IX. J  THE    PAUSES, 

Oh  lasting  ||  as  those  c61ors  may  they  shine, 
Frefe  as  thy  stroke  ;  [j  yet  faultless  as  thy  line  j 
New  graces  yearly  j|  like  thy  works  display, 
Soft  without  weakness,  j]  without  glaring  gay  ; 
Led  by  some  rule  that  guides,  j|  but  not  constrains  ; 
And  finished  more  ||  through  happiness  than  pains! 
The  kindred  hearts  []  shall  in  their  praise  conspire. 
One  dip  the  pencil ;  |]  and  on6  string  the  lyre. 

ROGERS  and  CAMPBELL  have  followed  in  POPE'S  school : 
the  Pleasures  of  Memory,  and  the  Pleasures  of  Hope,  fur 
nish  many  examples  of  great  harmony  produced  by  the 
happy  disposition  of  the  csesuras.  Witness  the  following 
from  ROGERS: 

Mark  yon  old  mansion  []  frowning  through  the  trees, 

Whose  hollow  turret  ||  wooes  the  whistling  breeze. 

That  casement,  arch'd  ||  with  ivy's  brownest  shade, 

First  to  these  eyes  ||  the  light  of  heaven  convey'd. 

The  mouldering  gateway  j|  strews  the  grass-grown  court, 

Once  the  calm  scene  j|  of  many  a  simple  sport, 

When  nature  pleased,  ||  for  life  itself  was  new, 

And  the  heart  promised  ||  what  the  fancy  drew. 

See,  through  the  fractured  pediment  reveal'd, 

Where  moss  inlays  jj  the  rudely  sculptured  shield* 

The  martin's  old  ||  hereditary  nest  : ' 

Long  may  the  rnin  ft  spare  its  hallow'd  guest ' 

As  jars  the  hinge,  j|  what  sullen  echoes  calli 

Oh  haste,  ||  unfold  the  hospitable  hall  ! 

That  hall,  where  once,  <||  in  antiquated  state, 

The  chair  of  justice  [|  held  the  grave  debate. 

Now  stain'd  with  dews,  fl  with  cobwebs  darkly  hung, 

Oft  has  its  roof  |.|  with  peals  of  rapture  rung  ; 

When  round  yon  ample  board,  ||  in  due  degree. 

We  sweeten'd  every  meal,  |]  with  social  glee. 

The  heart's  light  laugh  ||  pursiied   the  circling  jest  ; 

And  all  was  sunshine  |]  in  each  little  breast. 

'Twas  here  we  chased  the  slipper  ||  by  its  sound  ; 

And  turn'd  the  blindfold  hero  II  round  and  round. 


140  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

'Twas  here,  at  eve,  ||  we  form'd  our  fairy  ring ; 

And  fancy  flutter'd  ||  on  her  wildest  wing. 

Giants  and  genii  |]  chained  each  wondering  ear  ; 

And  orphan-sorrows  [|  drew  the  ready  tear. 

Oft  with  the  babes  [[  we  wander'd  in  the  wood, 

Or  viewed  the  forest-feats  ||  of  Robin  Hood  ; 

Oft,  fancy-led,  j|  at  midnight's  fearful  hour, 

With  startling  step  ||  we  scaled  the  lonely  tower  ; 

O'er  infant  innocence  ||  to  hang  and  weep, 

Murder'd  by  ruffian  hands,  ||  when  smiling  in  its  sleep. 

Pleasures  of  Memory,  Part  I. 


§  43.   The  Final  Pause. 

Besides  the  caesura  and  the  secondary  pauses,  there  is 
a  pause  at  the  end  of  the  line  called,  from  its  position, 
the  final  pause.  This  pause  frequently,  and  indeed  gener 
ally,  corresponds  with  the  pause  required  by  the  sense, 
but  this  is  not  uniformly  the  case.  It  is  obvious  to  remark 
that,  when  the  final  pause  is  the  same  as  the  sense  pause, 
the  line  is  more  melodious.  In  the  first  of  the  following 
examples,  the  final  pause  and  the  sense  pause  are  the 
same : 

But  small  the  bliss  that  sense  alone  bestows, 
And  sensual  bliss  is  all  the  nation  knows. 
In  florid  beauty  groves  and  fields  appear, 
Man  seems  the  only  growth  that  dwindles  here. 
Contrasted  faults  through  all  his  manners  reign  : 
Though  poor,  luxurious  ;  though  submissive,  vain  : 
Though  grave,  yet  trifling  ;  zealous,  yet  untrue  ; 
And  e'en  in  penance  planning  sins  anew. 

GOLDSMITH. — Traveller : 

In  the  following  examples,  the  sense  pause  does  not 
accord  with  the  final  pause : 

But  hark  !  through  those  old  firs,  with  sullen  swell. 
The  church-clock  strikes  !  ye  tender  scenes,  farewell ! 


CHAP.   IX.]  THE    PAUSES.  141 

It  calls  me  heace,  beneath  their  shade,  to  trace 
The  few  fond  lines  that  Time  may  soon  efface. 

ROGERS. 
Again  : 

Her  eyes  had  blessed  the  beacon's  glimmering  height 
That  faintly  tipt  the  feathery  surge  with  light ; 
But  now  the  morn  with  orient  hues  portrayed 
Each  castled  cliff,  and  brown  monastic  shade. 

Id. 

Again  : 

Then  are  they  blessed  indeed  ;  and  swift  the  hours 
Till  her  young  sisters  wreathe  her  hair  in  flowers, 
Kindling  her  beauty — while,  unseen,  the  least 
Twitches  her  robe,  then  runs  behind  the  rest, 
Known  by  her  laugh  that  will  not  be  suppressed. 
Then  before  all  they  stand — the  holy  vow 
And  ring  of  gold,  no  fond  illusions  now, 
Bind  her  as  his. 

Id. 
Again : 

Yet  here  high  passions,  high  desires  unfold, 
Prompting  to  noblest  deeds  ;  here  links  of  gold 
Bind  soul  to  soul  ;  and  thoughts  divine  inspire 
A  thirst  unquenchable,  a  holy  fire, 
That  will  not,  cannot  but  with  life  expire  ! 
Now,  seraph-winged,  among  the  stars  we  soar, 
Now  distant  ages,  like  a  day,  explore, 
And  judge  the  act,  the  actor  now  no  more  ; 
Or,  in  a  thankless  hour  condemned  to  live, 
From  other  claims  that  these  refuse  to  give, 
And  dart,  like  Milton,  an  unerring  eye 
Through  the  dim  curtains  of  Futurity. 

Id. 

If  these  passages  be  read  without  regard  to  the  final 
pause,  the  harmony  will  be  almost  entirely  destroyed. 

The  foregoing  rules  on  pauses,  apply  exclusively  to 
Iambic  measures.  The  pauses  of  the  Trochaic  and  the 
Anapestic  measures  do  not  seem,  so  far  as  the  author  is 

7* 


142  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

aware,  to  have  attracted  the  particular  attention  of  any 
English  prosodian,  or  even  to  have  been  incidentally  al 
luded  to  by  any  critic.  This  seems  the  more  strange  that 
pauses  have  not  shared  the  neglect  which  has  been  the 
fate  of  the  other  branches  of  versification,  but  have  been 
considered  by  every  writer,  that  has  treated  of  Prosody. 

We  have  remarked  above  (§  41),  that  in  Iambic  mea 
sures,  lines  of  less  than  four  feet  have  not  generally  any 
perceptible  pause.  It  is  otherwise  with  Trochaic  and  An- 
apestic  measures.  In  these,  the  pauses  are  not  subjected 
to  all  the  laws  which  govern  them  in  Iambic  verse.  And 
first  of  the  Trochee.  As  every  Trochaic  line  begins  with 
a  long  syllable,  it  takes  a  sensible  pause  after  this  syllable, 
except  in  the  line  of  a  single  Trochee.  This  pause  is  not 
a  c£esural  pause,  but  of  the  nature  of  the  secondary  pause. 
One  or  two  examples  will  suffice.  Witness  the  follow. 

ing: 

Purple  scenes, 
Winding  greens, 
Glooms  inviting, 
Birds  delighting, 
(Nature's  softest,  sweetest  store,) 
Chkrm  my  tortured  soul  no  more. 

ADDISON. — Rosamond,  Act  I.  Sc.  4. 

In  this  example,  we  have  three  different  measures  ; 
the  first  two  lines  being  composed  of  a  single  Trochee 
with  along  syllable  added  ;  the  second  and  third  composed 
of  two  Trochees  ;  and  the  fourth  and  fifth  composed  of 
three  Trochees,  an  additional  long  syllable ;  and  in  all 
of  them  the  pause  after  the  first  syllable  is  sensible.  The 
experiment  may  be  made  upon  any  of  the  Trochaic  mea 
sures  (Chap.  II.),  and  the  result  will  be  the  same.  This 
is  the  only  pause  in  lines  of  two  Trochees  or  less.  In  all 
lines  of  more  than  two,  there  is  also  a  cresural  pause. 


CHAP.  IX.]  THE    PAUSES.  143 

This  falls  uniformly  in  the  middle  of  the  second  foot,  ex- 
cept  in  lines  composed  of  five  feet  or  more,  in  which  case 
it  sometimes  falls  in  the  middle  of  the  third  foot.  The 
following  examples  will  suffice  to  illustrate  this  remark  : 

When  the  shades  |]  of  night  retire 
From  the  morn's  ||  advancing  beams,  1 
Ere  the  hills  ||  are  tipt  with  fire, 
And  the  raj|diance  lights  the  streams, 
L6,  the  lark  ||  begins  her  song, 
Early  on  |j  the  wing,  and  long. 

Summoned  by  |]  the  signal  notes, 
Soon  her  si?||ters  quit  the  lawn, 
With  their  wild|]!y  warbling  throats. 
Soaring  in  ]|  the  dappled  dawn  ; 
Brighter,  warm  Her,  spread  the  rays, 
Louder,  sweet  Her,  swell  their  lays. 

MONTGOMERY. 

Again  : 

Oh !  be  less,  ||  be  less  enchanting  . 
Lfct  some  lit||tle  grace  be  wanting  ; 
Lfet  my  eyes,  ||  when  I'm  expiring, 
Gftze  awhile  H  without  admiring  -' 

MOORE. 

In  these  examples,  the  first  composed  of  three  feet  and 
a  long  syllable,  and  the  second  of  four  feet,  the  secondary 
pause  and  the  caesura,  are  both  quite  sensible,  and  the 
harmony  of  the  verse  without  them  would  be  destroyed. 
For  longer  lines,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  examples 
given  under  the  head  of  Quantity,  (§  24,  25,  23.) 

Besides  these  pauses,  there  is  sometimes  a  secondary 
pause,  following  the  csesura.  This  is  not  sensible,  how 
ever,  in  the  shorter  lines.  Tn  the  line  composed  of  three 
Trochees  and  a  long  syllable  it  is  marked,  as  well  as  in 
all  longer  lines,  and  it  always  falls  on  the  next  long  sylla 
ble  after  the  caesura.  One  example  will  be  sufficient : 


144  CONSTRUCTION.  [fiT.  II. 

Hy  the  streams  j|  that  fever  flow, 
By  the  fra  [[grant  winds  that  blow 

O'er  the  Elysian  flowers  ; 
By  those  hapj|py  souls,  who  dwell 
In  yellow  meads  of  asphodel, 

Or  amaranthine  bowers  ! 
By  the  hej|ro's  armed  shades, 
Glittering  through  ||  the  gloomy  glades  ; 
By  the  youths  ||  that  died  for  love, 
Wandering  in  [|  the  myrtle  grove, 

Restore,  restore,  Eurydice  to  life  ! 

POPE. — Ode  to  St.  Cecilia  s  Day. 

It  will  be  seen  that  there  are  four  Iambic  lines  in  this 
piece.  In  these  there  is  no  pause,  except  in  the  last,  and 
the  pauses  follow  the  rules  for  the  line  of  four  feet.  We 
now  come  to  the  pauses  of  Anapestic  measures  ;  and 
these  pauses  differ  still  more  from  the  pauses  of  Iambic 
measures,  than  do  the  pauses  of  the  Trochaic  measures. 
In  Anapestic  measures  as  in  Trochaic,  the  pauses  are  of 
nearly  equal  effect ;  the  csesural  is  scarcely  more  per 
ceptible  than  the  secondary  pauses.  But  the  Anapestic 
measures  differ  from  the  Trochaic,  as  well  as  the  Iam 
bic,  inasmuch  as  they  are  far  more  sensible  to  the  ear. 
Even  the  secondary  pauses  of  the  Anapest  are  quite  as 
long  as  the  caesura  of  the  heroic  line.  The  Anapest,  like 
the  Trochee,  takes  a  pause  in  the  short  lines.  All  lines 
of  two  Anapests  or  more,  take  a  pause  after  every  long 
syllable.  In  the  following  stanzas  these  pauses  are  quite 
distinct : 

Sweet  bud  of  the  wild([erness !  emblem  of  al! 

That  remains  in  this  desolate  heart ; 
The  fabric  of  bliss  ||  to  its  centre  may  fall, 

But  patience  shall  never  depart; 
Though  the  wilds  of  enchant ||ment,  all  vernal  and  bright, 

In  the  days  of  delusion  by  fancy  combined 
With  the  vanishing  phantoms  of  love  and  delight, 


CHAP.  IX.]  THE    PAUSES.  145 

Abandoned  my  soul  ||  like  a  dr&am  of  the  night, 
And  leave  but  a  desert  behind. 

Be  hushed,  my  dark  spi||rit!  for  wisdom  condemns 

When  the  faint  and  the  feeble  deplore  ; 
Be  strong  as  the  rock  ||  of  the  ocean  that  stems 

A  thousand  wild  w&ves  in  the  shore  : 
Through  the  perils  of  chance,  ||  and  the  scowls  of  disdain, 

May  thy  front  be  unal||tered,  thy  courage  elate  ! 
Yea  !  even  the  name  ||  I  have  worshipped  in  vain, 
Shall  awake  not  the  sigh  ||  of  remembrance  again, 

To  bear  is  to  conquer  our  fate. 

CAMPBELL. 

We  now  find  a  confirmation  of  the  principles  before 
laid  down,  when  treating  of  the  quantity  of  the  Anapest.* 
It  was  there  stated  that  this  measure  is  very  lively,  and 
that  for  this  reason  it  cannot  be  employed  for  any  con- 
siderable  length.  It  was  also  stated  that  it  is  extremely 
monotonous.  We  now  see  that  its  monotony  results,  not 
only  from  the  uniformity  of  its  feet,  but  from  the  invaria- 
bleness  of  its  pauses.  There  is  such  a  remarkable  re 
semblance  between  these  pauses  and  the  pauses  of  Spanish 
verse,  in  which,  as  in  the  Anapest,  there  is  a  marked 
pause  after  every  accented  syllable,  that  I  cannot  resist 
the  temptation  of  giving,  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  curious, 
an  example  with  the  pauses  marked.  This  shall  be  taken 
from  the  Fables  of  YRIARTE  : 

Trabajando  un  Gusano  su  capullo, 
La  Arana,  que  tejia  a  toda  prisa, 
De  esta  suerte  le  hablo  con  faJsa  risa 
Muy  propia  de  su  orgullo  : 
[  Que  dice  de  mi  tela  el  seor  Gusa.no  1 
Esta  manana  la  ernpece  temprano, 
Y  ya  estara  acab&da  a  mediodia. 
Mire  que  sutil  es,  mere  que  bella. 


Chapter  III. 


146  CONSTRUCTION.  ['PIT.  II. 

El  Gusano  con  sorna  respondia  : 
Usted  tifene  razon  ;  asi  sale  fella. 

El  Gusano  de  seda  y  la  Arana. 

There  is  a  final  pause  in  the  Trochaic  and  Anapestic 
measures,  as  in  the  Iambic  measures.  This  pause  is 
found  in  all  measures,  whether  long  or  short.  With  these 
remarks  we  close  the  subject  of  pauses.  Its  importance 
and  interest  have  beguiled  us  into  a  more  extended  con 
sideration  of  the  subject  than  we  first  intended  to  devote 
to  it. 

In  searching  for  fruit,  we  cannot  always  resist  the 
temptation  of  turning  aside  to  admire  the  flowers  that  bor 
der  our  path,  and  arrest  our  attention,  both  by  the  fra 
grance  of  their  odours,  the  beauty  of  their  forms,  and  the 
delicacy  of  their  variegated  tints. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE      HIATUS. 

§  44.  Definition  of. 

THE  Hiatus  is  the  juxtaposition  of  two  vowels  :  or,  in 
the  language  of  Dryden,  it  is  one  vowel  gaping  on  another. 
This,  among  the  Greeks,  was  not  only  allowable,  but  of 
frequent  occurrence.  The  Latins  admitted  it  more  rarely. 
In  English  it  always  has  a  disagreeable  effect,  and,  though 
sometimes  found  in  our  best  Poets,  it  should  be  carefully 
avoided. 

The  best  example  that  we  can  give  of  it,  is  that  line 
in  POPE'S  Essay  on  Criticism,  in  which  he  has  intention 
ally  given  an  example  of  what  he  condemns  : 
Though  oft  the  ear  the  open  vowels  tire. 


CHAP.  X.]  THE    HIATUS.  147 

When  the  final  vowel  is  silent,  the  following  word 
may  begin  with  a  vowel  without  producing  a  hiatus,  for 
in  this  case  there  is  only  one  vowel  sound,  and  it  is  not 
the  eye,  but  the  ear,  that  is  consulted. 

A  proper  diphthong  seems  to  participate  of  the  nature 
of  a  consonant  so  far  as  to  admit  the  vowel  after  it,  without 
producing  a  hiatus. 

Whenever  the  final  vowel  of  a  word  can  be  elided, 
there  is  no  hiatus. 

In  the  instances  which  follow  the  hiatus  is  apparent. 
And,  first,  from  MILTON  : 

Fast  by  the  oracle  of  God  ;  I  thence. 
And  mad'st  it  pregnant :  what  in  me  is  dark. 
More  than  can  be  in  heaven,  we  now  return. 
No  inconvenient  diet,  nor  too  light  fare. 

Again,  from  THOMSON  : 

Lift  her  pale  eye  t/njoyous.     Then  appears. 
Of  Mauritania,  or  the  tufted  isles. 
Fiery  and  foul,  the  small  prognostic  hangs. 
Which  spoils  unhappy  Guinea  of  her  sons. 
Divinely  great ;  they  in  their  powers  exult. 
Though  oft  amidst  th'  irriguous  vale  it  springs. 

Again,  from  Dr.  YOUNG  : 

Assist  me  :  I  will  thank  you  in  the  grave. 
To  %  at  infinite,  and  reach  it  there. 
Thy  sports,  thy  pomps?     I  grant  thee  in  a  state. 
Nor  like  its  elder  sisters,  die  a  fool. 


148  CONSTRUCTION.  [tlT.   II. 

CHAPTER   XI. 

THE    COMPLETION    OF    THE    SENSE    BY    THE    COUPLET.* 

§  45.   General  Remarks  ;  Examples. 

ACCORDING  to  Dr.  Johnson,  Denham  was  one  of  the 
first  that  reduced  our  couplet  to  such  a  degree  of  regu 
larity,  as  to  make  it  uniformly  complete  the  sense.  Den- 
ham  wrote  in  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
and  from  his  time  the  practice  seems  to  have  been  pretty 
generally  adopted.  "The  general  structure  of  the  coup 
let,"  says  Hallam,  "  through  the  seventeenth  century, 
may  be  called  abnormous  ;  the  sense  is  not  only  often  car 
ried  beyond  the  second  line,  which  the  French  avoid,  but 
the  second  line  of  one  couplet  and  the  first  of  the  next  are 
not  seldom  united  in  a  single  sentence,  or  a  portion  of  one, 
so  that  the  two,  though  not  rhyming,  must  be  read  as  a 
couplet.  The  former,  when  as  dexterously  managed  as 
it  was  by  Dryden,  adds  much  to  the  beauty  of  the  general 
versification;  but  the  latter,  a  sort  of  adultery  of  the  lines 
already  wedded  to  other  companions  at  rhyme's  altar,  can 
scarcely  ever  be  pleasing,  unless  it  be  in  narrative  poetry, 
where  it  may  bring  the  sound  nearer  to  prose.  A  ten 
dency,  however,  to  the  French  rule  of  constantly  terminat 
ing  the  sense  with  the  couplet,  will  be  perceived  to  have 
increased  with  the  Restoration." 

These  remarks,  so  far  as  they  concern  English  verse, 
are  sufficiently  correct,  though  it  seems  now  to  be  admit 
ted  that  the  sense  should  always  be  completed  by  the 
couplet;  but  it  is  somewhat  astonishing  that  Mr.  Hallam 
should  have  committed  so  egregious  an  error  as  to  suppose 

*  This  rule,  as  Hallam  informs  us,  had  been  laid  down  by  Gas- 
coyne  as  early  as  1575,  but  does  not  seem  to  have  been  regarded. 


\ 


CHAP.  XI.]   COMPLETION  OF  SENSE  BY  THE  COUPLET.   149 

that  the  French  Poets  avoid  carrying  "  the  sense  beyond 
the  second  line."  Nothing  is  farther  from  the  truth  ;  for 
the  French  not  only  carry  the  sense  beyond  the  second  line, 
but  they  unite  the  last  line  of  one  couplet  and  the  first 
line  of  the  next,  so  that  the  two  have  to  be  read  together. 
This  may  be  seen  by  reference  to  any  of  the  French 
Poets.  "Sometimes,"  says  Dr.  Johnson,*  "  Dryden  con 
cludes  a  period  or  paragraph  with  the  first  line  of  a 
couplet,  which,  though  the  French  seem  to  do  it  with  ir 
regularity,  always  displeases  in  English  poetry."  It  will 
be  seen,  that,  though  Hallam  has  fallen  into  an  unaccount 
able  error  with  regard  to  the  French  rule,  he  confirms  the 
opinion  of  Dr.  Johnson  with  regard  to  the  English  rule  as 
at  present  established,  that  the  two  lines  of  a  couplet  should 
never  le  separated  ly  the  sense.  This  rule  is  universal. 
We  may  also  safely  lay  it  down  as  a  general  rule,  that 
the  sense  should  not  be  carried  beyond  the  second  line. 

The  following  examples  will  illustrate  the  license  of 
carrying  on  the  sense  beyond  the  second  line  of  the 
couplet : 

Thou  seest  me  here  at  midnight,  now  at  rest : 
Time's  dead  low-water;  when  all  minds  divest 
To-morrow's  business  ;  when  the  labourers  have 
Such  rest  in  bed,  that  iheir  last  church-yard  grave, 
Subject  to  change,  will  scarce  be  a  type  of  this  : 
Now  when  the  client,  whose  last  hearing  is 
To-morrow,  sleeps  ;  the  condemned  man, 
Who,  when  he  opes  his  eyes,  may  shut  them  then 
Again  by  death,  although  sad  watch  he  keep, 
Doth  practise  dying  by  a  little  sleep  ; 
Thou  at  this  midnight  seest  me. 

DR.  TONNE. 
Again  : 

And  as  the  Indies  were  not  found  before 

Those  rich  perfumes,  which  from  ihe  happy  shore 

*  Lives  of  the  Poets,  Vol.  I.  page  300. 


150  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.   II. 

The  winds  upon  their  balmy  wings  conveyed, 
Whose  guilty  sweetness  first  their  world  betrayed  ; 
So  by  your  counsels  we  are  brought  to  view 
A  new  and  undiscovered  world  in  you. 

DRYDEN. —  Verses  to  Clarendon. 

Examples  of  the  couplet  separated  by  the  period,  so 
that  the  last  line  has  to  be  carried  on  to  the  next  couplet, 
are  extremely  rare.  The  following  examples  will  suffice 
to  show  that,  though  rare,  a  more  frequent  occurrence  of 
them  would  be  even  less  desirable  than  that  of  the  exam 
ples  just  given.  The  harmony  of  verse  is  utterly  destroy 
ed  by  this  "  adultery  of  rhymes." 

The  speedy  horse  all  passages  belay, 

And  spur  their  smoking  steeds  to  cross  the  way  ; 

And  watch  each  entrance  of  the  winding  wood. 

Black  was  the  forest :  thick  with  beech  it  stood, 

Horrid  with  fern,  and  intricate  with  thorn : 

Few  paths  of  human  feet,  or  tracks  of  beasts  were  worn. 

DRYDEN  — Virgil's  JEneid, 
Again  : 

Then  thus  they  spoke,  and  eased  my  troubled  mind  : 
"  What  from  the  Delian  god  thou  go'st  to  find, 
He  tells  thee  here,  and  sends  us  to  relate. 
Those  powers  are  we,  companions  of  thy  fate, 
Who  from  the  burning  town  by  thee  were  brought, 
Thy  fortune  followed,  and  thy  safety  wrought." 

Id. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

MONOSYLLABIC     VERSE. 

§  46.  Dry  den's  Opinion;  Examples. 
ON  Monosyllabic  verse  Dryden*  makes  the  following 
judicious  remarks  : 

*  Dedication  to  the  JEneid. 


CHAP.  XI'.]  MONOSYLLABIC    VERSE.  151 

"  It  is  possible,  I  confess,  though  it  rarely  happens, 
that  a  verse  of  monosyllables  may  sound  harmoniously  ; 
and  some  examples  of  it  1  have  seen.  My  first  line  of 
the  ^Eneid  is  not  harsh  : 

Arms,  and  the  man  I  sing,  who,  forced  by  fate  : 

but  a  much  better  instance  may  be  given  from  the  last 
line  of  Manilius,  made  English  by  our  learned  and  judi 
cious  Mr.  Creech  : 

Nor  could  the  world  have  borne  so  fierce  a  fiame  — 

where  the  many  liquid  consonants  are  placed  so  artfully, 
that  they  give  a  pleasing  sound  to  the  words,  though  they 
are  all  of  one  syllable. 

"  It  is  true,"  continues  Dryden,  "  I  have  been  some 
times  forced  on  it  in  other  places  of  this  work  :  but  I 
never  did  it  out  of  choice  :  I  was  either  in  haste,  or  Virgil 
gave  me  no  occasion  for  the  ornament  of  words,  for  it 
seldom  happens  but  a  monosyllable  line  turns  verse  to 
prose;  and  even  that  prose  is  rugged  and  unharmonious." 

Pope  seems  to  have  confirmed  the  judgment  of  Dryden 
in  that  noted  instance  of  representative  versification  : 

And  ten  low  words  oft  creep  in  one  dull  line. 

It  will  be  easy  to  find  monosyllabic  lines  in  English 
verse  which  are  far  from  being  either  prosaic  or  rugged, 
but  it  will  be  found  that  the  melody  is  owing  to  a  supera 
bundance  of  liquid  sounds,  or  to  the  happy  disposition  of 
the  words  and  pauses,  rather  than  the  monosyllables.  I 
have  selected  some  of  this  nature.  The  six  following  are 
from  DRYDEN' 


The  queen  might  force  them  from  her  town  and  state. 
Purge  from  your  sight  the  dross,  and  make  you  see. 


152  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  If. 

With  some  small  glimpse  of  hope  to  find  her  there. 

And  where  they  left  their  ships,  and  what  their  fate. 

We  furl  our  sails,  and  turn  the  prows  to  shore. 

Who  fights  finds  death,  and  death  finds  him  who  flies. 
All  these  are  melodious. 
In  COWLEY  we  have  the  following : 

Till  the  whole  stream  that  stopped  him  shall  be  gone. 

From  whence  these  take  their  birth,  which  now  are  here. 
In  these  lines  there  is  nothing  remarkable.     The  first 
is  rather  melodious  than  otherwise,  the  last  is  quite  so. 

The  following  line  from  COLERIDGE  is  as  sweet  as  the 
airs  he  speaks  of: 

Breathes  in  his  flute  sad  airs,  so  wild  and  slow. 
There   are  others   from  the  same  author  which  are 
scarcely    surpassed    by    lines    containing    polysyllables. 
Witness  the  following : 

There,  in  that  bower,  where  first  she  owned  her  love. 

And  let  me  kiss  my  own  warm  tear  of  joy. 

And  at  his  side  I  saw  the  Sun  and  Moon. 

At  our  first  birth,  the  wreath  of  love  was  woven. 

How  bad  she  looked,  and  pale  !  but  not  like  guilt — 
The  following,  from  MILTON,  also  possess  great  merit: 

From  off  the  files  of  war  ;  there  they  him  laid. 

Borne  even  or  high  ;  for  this  day  will  pour  down. 

Thou  shalt  be  all  in  all,  and  I  in  thee. 

And  wings  were  set  with  eyes,  with  eyes  the  wheels. 

Yet  half  his  strength  he  put  not  forth,  but  checked. 

And  war  so  near  the  peace  of  God  in  bliss. 

Till  night,  then  in  the  east  her  turn  she  shines. 

By  fowl,  fish,  beast,  was  flown,  was  swum,  was  walked. 


CHAP.  XII.]  MONOSYLLABIC    VERSE.  153 

To  love  thou  blam'st  me  not,  for  love  thou  say'st 
Leads  up  to  heaven,  is  both  the  way  and  guide. 

Man  shall  not  quite  be  lost,  but  saved  who  will — 

Rend  up  both  rocks  and  hills,  and  ride  the  air. 

Rocks,  caves,  lakes,  fens,  bogs,  dens,  and  shades  of  death. 

Heard  far  and  wide,  and  all  the  host  of  hell. 
Some  of  these  lines  possess  great  strength,  as  well  as 
sweetness;  but  they  have  been  selected  with  a  view  to 
show  that  monosyllabic  lines  are  not  always  dull,  that 
they  are  sometimes  hardly  less  musical  and  energetic 
than  polysyllabic  lines.  It  is  proper,  however,  to  caution 
the  student  against  employing  them  too  frequently.  They 
should  rather  be  avoided  than  sought  after. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE    ELISION. 

THE  Elision  is  the  suppression  of  a  letter  or  letters, 
and  is  employed  for  the  sake  of  measure  alone,  when  the 
next  word  begins  with  a  consonant ;  but  when  the  next 
word  begins  with  a  vowel,  it  is  also  employed  to  prevent 
a  hiatus.  On  this  subject  we  shall  give  the  opinion  of 
Dryden,  as  we  have  done  on  the  monosyllabic  verse. 
"Wherever  it  is  used,"  says  this  judicious  critic,  "it 
gives  a  roughness  to  the  verse,  of  which  we  can  have 
little  need  in  a  language  which  is  overstocked  with  con 
sonants.  Such  is  not  the  Latin,  where  the  vowels  and 
consonants  are  mixed  in.  proportion  to  each  other :  yet 
Virgil  judged  the  vowels  to  have  somewhat  of  an  over 
balance,  and  therefore  tempers  their  sweetness  with  cse- 


154  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.   II. 

suras.*  Such  difference  there  is  in  tongues,  that  the  same 
figure  which  roughens  one  gives  majesty  to  another:  and 
that  was  it  which  Virgil  studied  in  his  verses.  Ovid  uses 
it  but  rarely  ;  and  hence  it  is  that  his  versification  cannot 
so  properly  be  called  sweet,  as  luscious.  The  Italians  are 
forced  on  it  once  or  twice  in  every  line,  because  they 
have  a  redundancy  of  vowels  in  their  language.  Their 
metal  is  so  soft,  that  it  will  not  coin  without  alloy  to  harden 
it.  On  the  other  side,  for  the  reason  already  named,  it  is 
all  we  can  do  to  give  sufficient  sweetness  to  our  language  : 
we  must  not  only  choose  our  words  for  elegance,  but  for 
sound." 

§  47.  Elision  of  E  in  THE  before  a  vowel. 

These  remarks  are  well  founded.  The  elision  should 
be  employed  only  when  indispensably  necessary,  for  the 
purpose  of  avoiding  some  greater  evil.  But  it  must 
be  observed  that  it  is  not  always  possible  to  arrange  words 
in  such  a  manner  that  the  article  definite  shall  precede  a 
consonant,  and  where  this  cannot  be  done  we  must  toler 
ate  either  the  elision  or  the  hiatus.  In  this  case  the 
Elision  is  preferable.  The  following  examples  of  this 
figure  are  therefore  proper.  And  first,  from  DRYDEN'S 
Virgil's  JEneid : 

Th'  CEnotrians  held  it  once — by  common  fame. 
Receive  th'  unhappy  fugitives  to  grace. 
So  hot  th'  assault,  so  high  the  tumult  rose. 
Amazed  th'  augmented  number  to  behold. 

Again,  from  MILTON  : 

Who  durst  defy  th'  Omnipotent  to  arms. 
Th'  infernal  serpent,  he  it  was  whose  guile. 

*  In  the  sense  of  hiatus. 


CHAP.  XII.]  THE    ELISION.  155 

Hurled  headlong  flaming  from  th'  ethereal  sky. 
Thus  to  th'  empyreal  minister  he  framed. 
Following,  above  th'  Olympian  hill  I  soar. 
In  presence  of  th'  Almighty  Father,  pleased. 
Again,  from  COWPER  : 

He  bruised  beneath  his  feet  th'  infernal  powers. 
Too  scanty  for  th'  exertion  of  his  beams. 
A  Jordan  for  th'  ablution  of  our  woes. 
The  pillar  of  th'  eternal  plan  appears. 

Again,  from  YOUNG  : 

What  read  we  here  ?  th'  existence  of  a  God  ? 

How  such  ideas  of  th'  Almighty's  power, 
And  such  ideas  of  th'  Almighty's  plan. 

Objects  are  but  th'  occasion,  ours  th'  exploit. 

Again,  from  BEATTIE  : 

Stunned  with  th'  eternal  turbulence  of  waves. 
Bright  through  th'  eternal  year  of  Love's  triumphant  reign. 

§  48.   The  Elision  of  a  Vowel,  so  as  to  diminish  Ihe  number 
of  Syllables. 

The  elision  of  a  vowel  so  as  to  cut  dissyllables  into 
monosyllables,  or  two  monosyllables  into  one,  is  authorized 
by  the  best  Poets,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  exam 
ples.  And  first,  from  YOUNG  : 

Lean  not  on  earth  ;  'twill  pierce  thee  to  the  heart. 

Redemption !  'twas  the  favour  of  the  skies. 

'Tis  this  makes  Christian  triumph  a  command. 

'Tis  this  makes  joy  a  duty  to  the  wise. 

'Tis  impious  in  a  good  man  to  be  sad. 

If  'twas  a  dream  why  wake  me  my  worst  foe. 


I5f)  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

Again,  from  BYRON  : 

'Gainst  whom  he  raged  with  fury  strange  and  blind. 
Of  men  and  empires, — 'tis  to  be  forgiven. 
And  now  again  'tis  black, — and  now,  the  glee. 
'Twas  not  for  fiction  chose  Rousseau  this  spot. 
To  the  mind's  purified  beings ;  'twas  the  ground. 
And  hallowed  it  with  loveliness;  'tis  lone. 

Again,  from  MILTON  : 

Shall  'scape  his  punishment  ordained,  and  we. 
If  thence  he  'scape  into  whatever  world. 

Again,  from  BEATTIE  : 

For  though  I  fly  to  'scape  from  Fortune's  rage. 

Again,  from  GOLDSMITH  : 

To  'scape  the  pressure  of  contiguous  pride. 

§  49.   The  Elision  of  an  entire  Syllable. 

The  Elision  of  an  entire  syllable  is  authorized,  as  the 
following  examples  will  show.     And  first,  from  YOUNG  : 
The  phantom  of  an  age  'twixt  us  and  Death. 
'Twixt  stage  and  stage  of  riot  and  cabal. 

Again,  from  COWPER  : 

'Gan  make  his  instrument  of  music  speak. 

Again,  from  BEATTIE  : 

Her  legends  when  the  Beldam  'gan  impart. 
His  deep,  majestic  melody  'gan  roll. 

Again,  from  BYRON  : 

And  steer  'twixt  fertile  shores,  where  yet  few  rustics  reap. 


CHAP.  X11I.]  THE    ELISION.  157 

§  50.   The  Elision  of  the  Vowel  in  the  second  person  of  the 

Verb, 

The  elision  of  the  \owel  in  the  second  person  of  the 
verb  for  the  purpose  of  suppressing  a  syllable,  is  author 
ized.  Witness  the  following  examples;  and  first,  from 
YOUNG  : 

Thou  think'st  perhaps  thy  soul  alone,  at  stake, 
Believ'st  thou  this,  Lorenzo  ?  lend  an  ear. 
Again,  from  BYRON  : 

Thou  know'st  not,  reck'st  not  to  what  region,  so. 
Again,  from  COLERIDGE  : 

To  call  him  villain ! — why  stand'st  thou  aghast  ? — 
I'll  dash  thee  to  the  earth  if  thou  but  think'st  it ! 
Alas  !  how  aptly  thou  forgett'st  a  tale. 
What,  art  thou  mad  1  look'st  thou  upward  so  1 

§  51.   The  Elision  of  some  letters  in  the  Substantive  Verb 
and  in  the  Auxiliaries. 

The  elision  of  some  letters  in  the  substantive  verb 
arid  in  the  auxiliaries,  so  as  to  combine  these  with  the 
preceding  pronoun  and  to  form  a  single  syllable,  is  al 
lowable.  This  is  similar  to  the  elision  under  the  second 
head  (§  48). 

From  YOUNG  : 

I'll  try  if  I  can  pluck  thee  from  thy  rock. 
She's  elegantly  pained  from  morn  till  night, 
No,  he's  forever  in  a  smiling  mood. 

Again,  from  BYRON  : 

Sir  Childe,  I'm  not  so  weak 

If  aught  that's  kindred  cheer  the  welcome  hearth. 

8 


158  CONSTRUCTION.  [lIT.  rf. 

§  52.   The  Elision  of  a   Consonant  in  order  to  change  a 
Dissyllable  into  a  Monosyllable. 

The  elision  of  a  consonant  in  order  to  change  a  dis 
syllable  into  a  Monosyllable,  is  frequently  employed. 
The  following  examples  will  suffice  : 

From  BYRON  : 

The  mightiest  of  the  storms  hath  ta'en  his  stand. 
From  GOLDSMITH  : 

E'en  children  followed  with  endearing  wile. 
From  YOUNG  : 

Can't  injure,  which  holds  on  its  glorious  course. 
From  MILTON  : 

O'er  many  a  frozen,  many  a  fiery  Alp. 

The  above  include  the  several  classes  of  elisions 
admitted  into  English  verse.  There  are,  it  is  believed, 
none  which  may  not  be  reduced  to  one  of  these  heads. 
It  now  remains  to  notice  some  instances  of  the  elision 
that  are  to  be  avoided. 


§  53.   The  Elision  of  a  Vowel  before  a  Consonant,  or  of 
one  Consonant  before  another. 

The  elision  of  a  vowel  before  a  consonant,  and  even 
of  one  consonant  before  another,  was  admitted  by  the 
older  poets ;  but  as  it  increases  the  number  of  the  conso 
nant  sounds,  it  is  not  considered  admissible  by  the  later 
poets.  The  following  examples  from  MILTON  will  show 
the  nature  of  this  elision  : 

Because  the  father  t'  whom  in  heaven  supreme. 
Regent  of  day,  and  all  th'  horizon  round. 


CHAP.  XI11.]  THE    ELISION.  159 

Obscure  some  glimpse  of  joy,  t'  have  found  their  chief. 

Not  in  despair  t'  have  found  themselves  not  lost. 

Fled  o'er  Adria  to  th'  Hesperian  fields. 

Of  Phlegra  with  th'  heroic  race  were  joined. 

In  billows,  i'  th'  midst,  a  horrid  vale. 

The  last  line  is  particularly  objectionable,  containing, 
besides  the  elision  of  e  in  the,  the  elision  of  n  in  in. 


§54.  Improper  Elision  of  the  Dactyle  and  the  Anapest. 

The  Anapest  and  the  Dactyle  should  never,  in  heroic 
poetry,  be  cut  by  elision  into  Iambuses.  An  elision  of 
this  kind  destroys  the  most  beautiful  of  the  secondary  feet. 

The  following  examples,  not  probably  admitted  for  the 
most  part  by  the  authors  in  the  first  instance,  but  inserted 
by  injudicious  editors  subsequently,  are  not  to  be  tolerated. 

From  MILTON  : 

Him  haply  slumb'ring  on  the  Norway  foam. 
Jehovah  thund'ring  out  of  Zion,  throned. 
His  odious  off'rings,  and  adore  the  gods. 

Pond'ring  the  danger  with  deep  thoughts  ;  and  each 
In  other's  count'nance  read  his  own  dismay. 

Much  wond'ring  how  the  subtle  fiend  had  stol'n. 
Comes  thund'ring  back  with  dreadful  revolution. 
As  in  a  glist'ring  zodiac  hung  the  sword. 

From  GOLDSMITH  : 

Or  drives  his  vent'rous  ploughshare  to  the  steep. 
The  decent  church  that  topped  the  neigh'bring  hil:. 


160  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

§  55.   The  E  in  ED  final  not  to  le  elided. 

For  the  manifest  reason  that  the  design  of  the  elision 
is  to  diminish  the  number  of  syllables,  the  e  in  ed  final, 
where  this  does  not  add  another  syllable  in  the  pronuncia 
tion,  should  never  be  elided.  The  following  elisions,  then, 
are  out  of  place. 

First,  from  BYRON  : 

Thus  Harolde  inly  said,  and  pass'd  along. 

For  I  have  cherish'd  them  as  dear. 

Within  a  window'd  niche  of  that  high  wall. 

From  COWPER  : 

Let  laurels  drench' d  in  pure  Parnassian  dews. 
A  prologue  interdash'd  with  many  a  stroke. 
The  laurel  seem'd  to  wait  on  his  command. 

From  THOMSON  : 

Now  call'd  abroad,  enjoy  the  falling  day. 
Cemented  firm  ;  till,  seiz'd  from  shore  to  shore. 

Examples  of  this  kind  are  so  numerous  that  it  is  not 
necessary  to  give  additional  ones.  It  is  to  be  regretted 
that  elisions  of  this  class  are  so  improperly  admitted.  In 
the  same  author  we  frequently  find  words  elided  in  one 
stanza,  and  written  in  full  in  the  next.  This  fault,  it  is 
presumed,  is  frequently  typographical,  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  it  will  soon  disappear.  The  only  specious 
apology  for  eliding  the  e  in  ed  final,  is,  that  it  is  mute. 
But  let  it  be  observed  that  there  exists  the  same  reason  for 
eliding  it  in  prose,  as  in  verse.  And  if  we  look  into  the 
prose  writers  of  the  early  part  of  the  last  century,  we  shall 


CHAP.  XIII.]  THE    ELISION.  161 

find  that  they  actually  did  elide  the  e  in  the  case  above 
mentioned.  They  went  even  farther.  They  elided  the 
7  in  should  and  would,  and  made  other  elisions  still  more 
barbarous.  But  it  was  soon  seen  that  if  all  mutes  were 
to  be  elided,  there  would  be  no  end  to  elision,  and  authors 
became  alarmed  at  this  innovation,  and  arrested  it  in  time. 
For  the  same  reason  that  we  should  not  elide  e  in  ed  final, 
we  should  not  elide  it  in  words  ending  in  er,  as  flower, 
dower,  power  ;  since,  in  these  instances,  er  does  not  form 
an  additional  syllable,  but  these  words  rhyme  with  hour, 
pour,  &c.  For  the  same  reason  the  e  in  the  words  heaven, 
given,  even,  siolen,  should  never  be  elided.  The  elision 
does  not  change  the  pronunciation. 

It  is  here  proper  to  remark,  that  those  words  terminat 
ing  in  ed,  formerly  took  with  this  termination  an  addi 
tional  syllable.  This  syllable  has  been  dropped,  and  it 
would  be  just  as  reasonable  to  elide  it  in  prose  as  in  verse. 
It  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  this  syllable  is  not  still 
pronounced  in  all  words.  Its  pronunciation  formerly  ren 
dered  our  language  far  less  rugged  than  it  now  is.  As 
Addison  has  enlarged  upon  this  idea,  I  shall  quote  what 
he  has  said  on  this  subject,  in  his  own  words.*  "  The  same 
natural  aversion  to  loquacity  has  of  late  years  made  a 
very  considerable  alteration  in  our  language,  by  closing 
in  one  syllable  the  termination  of  our  prreterperfect  tense, 
as  in  these  words,  *  drown'd,  walk'd,  arriv'd,'  for  '  drowned, 
walked,  arrived,'  which  has  very  much  disfigured  the 
tongue,  and  turned  a  tenth  part  of  our  smoothest  words 
into  so  many  clusters  of  consonants.  This  is  the  more 
remarkable,  because  the  want  of  vowels  in  our  language 
has  been  the  general  complaint  of  our  politest  authors, 
who,  nevertheless,  are  the  men  that  have  made  these  re- 

*  Spectator,  No.  135. 


162  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

trenchments,  and  consequently  very  much  increased  our 
former  scarcity." 

"  This  reflection,"  continues  the  same  critic,  "  on  the 
words  that  end  in  ed,  I  have  heard  in  conversation,  from 
one  of  the  greatest  geniuses*  this  age  has  produced.  I 
think  we  may  add  to  the  foregoing  observation  the  change 
which  has  happened  in  our  language,  by  the  abbreviation 
of  several  words  that  are  terminated  in  etli,  by  substituting 
an  s  in  the  room  of  the  last  syllable,  as  in  '  drowns,  walks, 
arrives,'  and  innumerable  other  words,  which,  in  the  pro 
nunciation  of  our  forefathers,  were  'drowneth,  walketh, 
arriveth.'  This  has  wonderfully  multiplied  a  letter  which 
was  before  too  frequent  in  the  English  tongue,  and  added 
that  hissing  in  our  language  which  is  taken  so  much  no 
tice  of  by  foreigners." 

With  these  remarks  we  close  the  subject  of  the  elision. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

MELODY    AND    HARMONY. 

IN  Poetry,  the  terms  Melody  and  Harmony  have  a 
signification  quite  different  from  that  which  they  have  in 
Music.  In  Music,  Melody  is  produced  by  a  succession  of 
sounds  ;  Harmony  is  produced  by  a  combination  of  sounds. 
A  flute,  a  thrush,  or  a  nightingale,  makes  melody ;  a 
piano  forte,  or  an  organ,  produces  Harmony.  A  single 
voice  produces  Melody ;  several  voices  produce  Har 
mony.  In  Poetry,  Melody  is  the  sweetness  of  a  single 
sound,  word,  or  line,  without  reference  to  any  other  sound, 

*  Probably  Dean  Swift. 


CHAP,  XIV.]  MELODY    AND   HARMONY.  163 

word,  or  line.  Harmony  is  such  a  combination  of  words 
in  a  line,  or  lines  in  a  passage,  as  produces  an  agreeable 
result.  When  we  say  that  a  passage  is  melodious,  we 
mean  that  it  is  made  up  of  melodious  lines,  considered  in 
themselves  ;  when  we  say  that  a  passage  is  harmonious, 
we  mean  that  the  feet  and  pauses  are  so  disposed  as  to  pro 
duce  an  agreeable  combination.  When  we  say  that  a  lino 
is  melodious,  we  mean  that  it  is  not  only  made  up  of  sweet 
sounds,  but  that  its  pauses  are  properly  disposed.  So  that 
Melody,  when  applied  to  a  line,  implies  a  harmony  between 
the  hemistichs  of  this  line  ;  though  there  may  be  harmony 
between  these  hemistichs,  and  the  line  be  wanting  in 
melody. 

In  a  single  line,  then,  Harmony  may  exist  without 
Melody,  but  Melody  cannot  exist  without  Harmony. 

In  a  series  of  lines  not  only  may  Melody  exist  with 
out  Harmony,  but  Harmony  may  exist  without  Melody; 
for,  in  this  case,  Harmony  is  no  longer  the  proper  dispo 
sition  of  two  hemistichs  with  regard  to  each  other,  but  the 
proper  disposition  of  several  hemistichs  and  lines  with  re- 
gard  to  several  other  hemistichs  and  lines.  Melody  may 
exist  without  Harmony,  since  a  series  of  melodious  lines 
may  be  so  monotonous  as  to  destroy  Harmony  ;  Harmony 
may  exist  independently  of  Melody,  inasmuch  as  harsh 
lines  may  be  so  combined  as  to  produce  a  harmonious 
result. 

§  56.  Examples  of  Melody  and  Harmony. 

Of  all  the  older  English  Poets,  Pope  possesses  the  most 
Melody,  and  Milton  the  most  Harmony.  Of  the  more 
modern  Poets,  Moore,  Rogers,  and  Campbell  have  the 
most  Melody,  and  Byron  and  Coleridge  the  most  Har 
mony. 


CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

As  an  example  of  Melody,  witness  the  following  from 
POPE  : 

Then  all  your  muse's  softer  art  display, 
Let  Carolina  smooth  the  tuneful  lay, 
Lull  with  Amelia's  liquid  name  the  nine, 
And  sweetly  flow  through  all  the  royal  line. 

Sat.  I. 
Again  : 

Now  range  the  hills,  the  gameful  woods  beset, 
Wind  the  shrill  horn,  or  spread  the  waving  net. 
When  milder  autumn  summer's  heat  succeeds, 
And  in  the  new  shorn  fields  the  partridge  feeds  j 
Before  his  lord  the  ready  spaniel  bounds, 
Panting  with  hope,  he  tries  the  furrowed  grounds: 
But  when  the  tainted  gales  the  game  betray, 
Couched  close  he  lies,  and  meditates  the  prey  : 
Secure  they  trust  the  unfaithful  field  beset, 
Till  hovering  o'er  them  sweeps  the  swelling  net. 

Windsor  Forest. 

CAMPBELL  has  drawn  from  his  lyre  strains  scarcely  less 
sweet  than  those  of  Pope.     Witness  the  following  : 

But  Hope  can  here  her  moonlight  vigils  keep, 
And  sing  to  charm  the  spirit  of  the  deep. 
Swift  as  yon  streamer  lights  the  starry  pole, 
Her  visions  warm  the  watchman's  pensive  soul  ; 
His  native  hills  that  rise  in  happier  climes, 
The  grot  that  heard  his  song  of  other  times, 
His  cottage  home,  his  bark  of  slender  sail, 
His  glassy  lake,  and  broomwood-blossomed  vale, 
Rush  on  his  thought  ;  he  sweeps  before  the  wind, 
Treads  the  loved  shore  he  sighed  to  leave  behind  ; 
Meets  at  each  step  a  friend's  familiar  face, 
And  flies  at  last  to  Helen's  long  embrace. 

Pleasures  of  Hope. 
Again : 

Till  Hymen  brought  his  love-delighted  hour, 
There  dwelt  no  joy  in  Eden's  rosy  bower ! 


CHAP.  XIV.]  MELODY    AND    HARMONY.  165 

In  vain  the  viewless  seraph  lingering  there, 

At  starry  midnight  charmed  the  silent  air  ; 

In  vain  the  wild  bird  carolled  on  the  steep, 

To  hail  the  sun,  slow  wheeling  from  the  deep  ; 

In  vain  to  soothe  the  solitary  shade, 

Aerial  notes  in  mingling  measure  played  ; 

The  summer  wind  that  shook  the  spangled  tree, 

The  whispering  wave,  the  murmur  of  the  bee  ; 

Still  slowly  passed  the  melancholy  day, 

And  still  the  stranger  wist  not  where  to  stray. 

The.  world  was  sad  ! — the  garden  was  a  wild  ! 

And  man,  the  hermit,  sighed — till  woman  smiled  ! 

Idem. 

ROGERS  has  fallen  little  below  Pope  in  point  of  Melody  : 

Childhood's  loved  group  revisits  every  scene, 

The  tangled  wood-walk,  and  the  tufted  green  ! 

Indulgent  MEMORY  wakes,  and  lo,  they  live  ! 

Clothed  with  far  softer  hues  than  light  can  give. 

Thou  first  best  friend  that  Heaven  assigns  below, 

To  soothe  and  sweeten  all  the  cares  we  know  ; 

Whose  glad  suggestions  still  each  vain  alarm, 

When  nature  fades,  and  life  forgets  to  charm  ; 

Thee  would  the  muse  invoke  ! — to  thee  belong 

The  sage's  precept,  and  the  poet's  song. 

What  soften'd  views  thy  magic  glass  reveals, 

When  o'er  the  landscape  Time's  meek  twilight  steals  ! 

As  when  in  ocean  sinks  the  orb  of  day, 

Long  on  the  wave  reflected  lustres  play  ; 

Thy  temper'd  gleams  of  happiness  resign'd 

Glance  on  the  darken'd  mirror  of  the  mind. 

The  School's  lone  porch,  with  reverend  mosses  gray, 

Just  tells  the  pensive  pilgrim  where  it  lay. 

Mute  is  the  bell  that  rung  at  peep  of  dawn, 

Quickening  my  truant  feet  across  the  lawn  ; 

Unheard  the  shout  that  rent  the  noontide  air, 

When  the  slow  dial  gave  a  pause  to  care. 

Up  springs,  at  every  step,  to  claim  a  tear, 

Some  little  friendship  form'd  and  cherish'd  here, 


166  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.    II. 

And  not  the  lightest  leaf,  but  trembling  teems 
With  golden  visions,  and  romantic  dreams  ! 

Pleasures  of  Jlemory,  Part  I. 

From  MOORE  we  can  hardly  select  amiss ;  he  is  all 
melody.  The  following  will  suffice  to  show  the  sweet 
ness  of  his  verse  : 

Those  evening  bells — those  evening  bells — 
How  many  a  tale  their  music  tells 
Of  youth,  and  home,  and  native  clime, 
When  I  last  heard  their  soothing  chime. 

Those  pleasant  hours  are  passed  away, 
And  many  a  heart  that  then  was  gay, 
Within  the  tomb  now  darkly  dwells, 
And  hears  no  more  those  evening  bells. 

Of  Harmony,  witness  the  following  example  from 
MILTON  : 

She  all  night  long  her  amorous  descant  sung, 
Silence  was  pleased :  now  glowed  the  firmament 
With  living  sapphires  ;  Hesperus,  that  led 
The  starry  host,  rode  brightest,  till  the  moon, 
Rising  in  clouded  majesty,  at  length, 
Apparent  queen,  unveiled  her  peerless  light, 
And  o'er  the  dark  her  silver  mantle  threw. 

Paradise.  Lost,  Book  IV. 

The  beginning  of  the  Fifth  Book  is  a  passage  among 
the  most  harmonious,  as  well  as  the  most  beautiful  in 
every  other  point  of  view,  that  our  language  affords. 
Since  this  has  already  been  given  at  length  (§  41)  as  an 
example  of  the  happy  disposition  of  the  caesura,  it  will  be 
necessary  only  to  refer  to  it.  The  opening  of  Paradise 
Lost  is  another  example. 

The  following  from  BYRON  are  examples  of  perfect 
Harmony.  In  Melody  the  noble  poet  is  greatly  deficient. 


CHAP.   XIV.]  MELODY    AND    HARMONY.  167 

'Twas  not  for  fiction  chose  Rousseau  this  spot, 

Peopling  it  with  affections  ;  but  he  found 

It  was  the  scene  which  passion  must  allot 

To  the  mind's  purified  beings  ;  'twas  the  ground 

Where  early  Love  his  Psyche's  zone  unbound, 

And  hallowed  it  with  loveliness ;  'tis  lone, 

And  wonderful,  and  deep,  and  hath  a  sound, 

And  sense,  and  sight  of  sweetness  ;  here  the  Rhone 

Hath  spread  himself  a  couch,  the  Alps  have  reared  a  throne. 
Childe  Harold,  Canto  III. 

Again  *. 

To  fly  from,  need  not  be  to  hate,  mankind ; 
All  are  not  fit  with  them  to  stir  and  toil, 
Nor  is  it  discontent  to  keep  the  mind 
Deep  in  its  fountain,  lest  it  overboil 
In  the  hot  throng,  where  we  become  the  spoil 
Of  our  infection,  till  too  late  and  long 
We  may  deplore  and  struggle  with  the  coil, 
In  wretched  interchange  of  wrong  for  wrong 
"Midst  a  contentious  world,  striving  where  none  are  strong, 

Idem,  Canto  III, 


Again: 


Soul  of  Alvar! 

Hear  our  soft  suit,  and  heed  my  milder  spell : 
So  may  the  gates  of  Paradise,  unbarred, 
Cease  thy  swift  toils  !  since  haply  thou  art  one 
Of  that  innumerable  company, 
Who  in  broad  circle,  lovelier  than  the  rainbow, 
Girdle  this  round  earth  in  a  dizzy  motion, 
With  noise  too  vast  and  constant  to  be  heard  : 
Fitliest  unheard  1    For  oh,  ye  numberless 
And  rapid  travellers !     What  ear  unstunned, 
What  sense  unmaddened,  might  bear  up  against 
Tfoe  rushing  of  your  congregated  wings  ? 

COLERIDGE. — Remorse,  Act  III.  Sc.  1- 


168  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

RHYME. 

OF  the  advantages  of  Rhyme  it  is  not  our  intention 
now  to  speak  ;  that  subject  has  been  treated  in  full  by 
others.  All  that  is  proposed  now,  is  to  give  some  rules 
on  the  use  of  Rhyme.  And  here,  as  in  most  other  parts 
of  this  treatise,  we  can  derive  little  assistance  from  others. 
We  shall  deduce  our  rules  from  the  usage  of  the  best 
English  poets.  It  is  proper  to  premise  that  it  is  sufficient 
if  rhyme  speak  to  the  ear.  It  need  not,  as  in  French, 
address  itself  to  the  eye.  The  following  rhymes,  though 
distinguished  by  the  eye,  are  not  distinguished  by  the  ear, 
and  are  therefore  perfect : 

My  humble  verse  demands  a  softer  theme, 
A  painted  meadow,  or  a  purling  stream. 

ADDISON, 

§  57.  Perfect  Rhyme. 

It  is  proper  to  remark,  also,  that  great  license  is  al 
lowed  in  rhymes,  as  in  most  other  parts  of  English  verse. 
We  must,  therefore,  distinguish  between  perfect  rhymes 
and  admissible  rhymes.  A  rhyme  is  perfect,  when  the 
same  vowel  terminates  the  final  syllables  of  a  couplet ; 
and  the  greater  the  number  of  the  same  letters  contained 
in  the  terminating  words,  the  better  is  the  rhyme.  This  is 
what  the  French  call  the  rime  riclie. 

The  following  are  perfect  rhymes : 

While  you,  my  lord,  the  rural  shades  admire, 
And  from  Britannia's  public  posts  retire, 


CHAP.  XV.]  K1IYME.  169 

Nor  longer,  her  ungrateful  sons  to  please, 
For  her  advantage  sacrifice  your  ease. 

ADDISON. 

A  rhyme  is  also  perfect  when  the  sound  is  the  same 
though  the  vowel  be  different.  Witness  the  following : 

Starves  in  the  midst  of  Nature's  bounty  curst, 
And  in  the  loaded  vineyard  dies  for  thirst. 

ADDISON. 

It  may  he  laid  down  as  established  for  all  rhymes: 

1st.  That  no  word  can  rhyme  with  itself. 

2d.  That  besides  the  vowel  in  the  final  syllable,  the 
consonants  (if  any  there  be)  following  this  vowel,  should 
also  rhyme ;  otherwise  the  rhyme  is  not  only  imperfect, 
but  inadmissible. 

3d.  When  the  line  terminates  with  a  Trochee  or  an 
Amphibrach,  the  last  two  syllables  must  rhyme. 

It  may  be  laid  down  as  also  established,  that  a  perfect 
rhyme  consists  of  the  repetition  of  the  same  sound,  whether 
the  vowel  be  the  same  or  riot ;  and  vice  versa,  that,  though 
the  vowel  be  the  same,  the  rhyme  is  not  perfect  unless  the 
sound  be  the  same. 

The  following  then  are  not  perfect  rhymes : 
And  him  and  his  if  more  devotion  warms, 
Down  with  the  bible  ;  up  with  the  pope's  arms. 

POPE. — Dunciad. 

The  following,  on  the  contrary,  though  terminating 
with  different  vowels,  are  perfect  rhymes  : 

Not  with  less  glory  mighty  Dullness  crowned 
Shall  take  through  Grub-street  her  triumphant  round  : 
And,  her  Parnassus  glancing  o'er  at  once, 
Behold  a  hundred  sons,  and  each  a  dunce. 

Idem. 

These  rules  and  observations  apply  to  rhyme,  whether 


170  CONSTRUCTION.  [TLT.  II. 

in  the  couplet,  the  triplet,  the  quatrain,  or  the  Spenserian 
stanza.  Whether  the  rhymes  be  consecutive,  as  in  heroic 
poetry,  or  alternating,  as  in  the  quatrain,  the  application 
of  these  rules  is  universal. 

The  perfect  rhymes  may  be  conveniently  classified  in 
the  following  order  : 

1.  The  long  a  with  itself: 

'Tis  Britain's  care  to  watch  o'er  Europe's  fate, 
And  hold  in  balance  each  contending  state. 

2.  The  short  a  with  itself: 

Suppliant  the  venerable  father  stands; 
Apollo's  awful  ensigns  grace  his  hands. 

3.  The  broad  a  with  itself: 

Let  me  be  deemed  the  hateful  cause  of  all, 
And  suffer,  rather  than  my  people  fall. 

4.  The  grave  a  with  itself: 

Submit  he  must  ;  or  if  they  will  not  part, 
Ourself  in  arms  shall  tear  her  from  his  heart. 

5.  The  sharp  a  with  itself: 

But  then  prepare,  imperious  prince  !  prepare, 
Fierce  as  thou  art,  to  yield  thy  captive  fair. 

6.  The  long  e  with  itself: 

And  fly  where'er  thy  mandate  bids  them  steer, 
To  Pleasure's  path,  or  Glory's  bright  career. 

7.  The  short  e  with  itself: 

A  home  to  rest,  a  shelter  to  defend, 
Peace  and  repose,  a  Briton  and  a  friend  ! 

8.  The  long  i  with  itself: 

Shall  swell  thy  heart  to  rapture  unconfined, 
And  breathe  a  holy  madness  o'er  thy  mind. 


CIIAF.  XV.]  RHYME.  J71 

9.  The  short  i  with  itgelf : 

What  though  for  him  no  Hybla  sweets  distil, 
Nor  blooming  vines  wave  purple  on  the  hill. 

10.  The  long  o  with  itself: 

Poor  fettered  man  !  I  hear  thee  whispering  low, 
Unhallowed  vows  to  Guilt,  the  child  of  Woe  ! 

11.  The  short  o  with  itself: 

Two  heroes  led  the  secret  squadron  on — 
Mason  the  fierce,  and  hardy  Lycophon. 

12.  The  broad  o  with  itself: 

The  noisy  geese  that  gabbled  o'er  the  pool  : 
The  playful  children  just  let  loose  from  school. 

13.  The  grave  o  with  itself: 

As  some  tall  cliff  that  lifts  its  awful  form, 

Swells  from  the  vale,  and  midway  leaves  the  storm. 

14.  The  long  u  with  itself: 

Charmed  as  they  read  the  verse,  too  sadly  true, 
How  gallant  Albert,  and  his  weary  crew. 

15.  The  short  u  with  itself: 

Mysterious  worlds,  untravelled  by  the  sun, 
Where  Time's  far-wandering  tide  has  never  run. 

10.  The  broad  u  with  itself: 

As  when  a  ponderous  axe,  descending  full, 
Cleaves  the  broad  forehead  of  some  brawny  bull. 

17.  The  proper  diphthong  ou  with  itself: 

White  are  the  decks  with  foam  ;  the  winds  aloud 
Howl  o'er  the  masts,  and  sing  through  every  shroud. 

18.  The  proper  diphthong  oi  with  itself: 

Who,  sternly  marking  on  his  native  soil, 
The  blood,  the  tears,  the  anguish,  and  the  toil. 


11'2  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  n. 

Of  the  diphthongal  terminations  there  are  none  whose 
sounds  are  not  included  in  this  list :  and  these  eighteen 
vowel  terminations  may  safely  be  pronounced  a  complete 
list  of  the  perfect  rhymes.* 

Of  these  rhymes  it  will  be  remarked  that  those  closing 
with  long  sounds,  as  e  in  stream,  or  i  in  light,  are  more 
musical  than  those  closing  with  short  sounds,  as  e  in  wren, 
or  i  in  win.  It  is  also  to  be  remarked,  that  the  greater 
the  number  of  the  same  consonants  that  are  joined  with 
the  final  vowel,  the  more  beautiful  is  the  rhyme.  For 
example,  light  and  diglit  are  more  musical  than  die  and 
high. 

Our  best  rhymers  are  Pope,  Goldsmith,  Campbell, 
Rogers,  Moore,  and  Crabbe.  It  is  hardly  possible  to  de 
cide  which  of  these  elegant  versifiers  is  the  most  perfect 
in  rhyme.  We  cannot  open  upon  a  page  without  having 
the  ear  enchanted  with  the  richness  of  the  rhymes.  As 
an  illustration,  we  will  give  an  example  from  CRABBE, 
whose  pauses  are  not  always  so  adjusted  as  to  produce 
the  most  harmonious  lines,  but  whose  rhymes  are  remark 
ably  rich  : 

A  quiet  simple  man  was  Abel  Keene, 

He  meant  no  harm,  nor  did  he  often  mean  ; 

He  kept  a  school  of  loud  rebellious  boys, 

And,  growing  old,  grew  nervous  with  the  noise  ; 

When  a  kind  merchant  hired  his  useful  pen, 

And  made  him  happiest  of  accompting  men  ; 

With  glee  he  rose  to  every  easy  day, 

When  half  the  labour  brought  him  twice  the  pay. 


*  It  is  true  that  the  contracted  sound  of  o  broad  is  by  no  means 
the  same  as  the  full  sound.  For  example,  the  oo  in  book  is  not  the 
same  as  oo  in  fool ;  but  the  oo  in  book  is  the  same  as  u  in  full.  In 
the  same  manner,  the  contracted  a  broad,  as  in  wash,  is  not  the  same 
as  a  in  fall,  but  it  does  not  differ  materially  from  short  o  as  in  lot  ;  so 
that,  though  we  have  omitted  these  combinations  in  the  above  list,  we 
have  not  omitted  their  equivalents. 


CHAP.   XV.]  HHYME.  173 

There  were  young  clerks,  and  there  the  merchant's  son, 

Choice  spirits  all  who  wished  him  to  be  one  ; 

It  must,  no  question,  give  them  lively  joy, 

Hopes  long-indulged  to  combat  and  destroy  ; 

At  these  they  levelled  all  their  skill  and  strength, — 

He  fell  not  quickly,  but  he  fell  at  length  ; 

They  quoted  books  to  him,  both  old  and  new, 

And  scorned'  as  fables  all  he  held  as  true  ; 

"  Such  monkish  stories,  and  such  nursery  lies," 

That  he  was  struck  with  terror  and  surprise. 

What !  all  his  life  had  he  the  laws  obeyed, 

Which  they  broke  through,  and  were  not  once  afraid  ? 

Had  he  so  long  his  evil  passion  checked, 

And  yet  at  last  had  nothing  to  expect? 

While  they  their  lives  in  joy  and  pleasure  led, 

And  then  had  nothing,  at  the  end  to  dread  1 

Was  all  his  priest  with  so  much  zeal  conveyed, 

A  part, !  a  speech  !  for  which  the  man  was  paid  ? 

And  were  his  pious  books,  his  solemn  prayers, 

Not  worth  one  tale  of  the  admired  Voltaire's? 

Then  was  it  time,  while  yet  some  years  remained, 

To  drink  untroubled,  and  to  think  unchained, 

And  on  all  pleasures,  which  his  purse  could  give, 

Freely  to  seize,  and  "  while  he  lived,  to  live." 

Much  time  he  passed  in  this  important  strife, 

The  bliss  or  bane  of  his  remaining  life  ; 

For  converts  all  are  made  with  care  and  grief, 

And  pangs  attend  the  birth  of  unbelief ; 

Nor  pass  they  soon  ; — with  awe  and  fear  he  took 

The  flowery  way,  and  cast  back  many  a  look. 


§  58.  Admissible  Ilhymes. 

The  number  of  rhymes  which  are  imperfect,  though 
admissible,  is  very  great.  Comprehended  under  this  class 
are  all  those  words  in  which  a  long  vowel  is  made  to 
rhyme  with  a  short  one,  or  a  grave  vowel  with  a  broad 


174  CONSTRUCT10X.  [llT.  11. 

one  of  the  same  name,  as  male  with  mat,  or  far  with  war, 
for  example  ;  or  when  the  long,  or  the  short  a,  is  made  to 
rhyme  with  long  e. 

The  following   list    includes   all,   or  nearly   all,    the 
rhymes  of  this  class  : 

1.  The  long  a  with  the  short  a  : 

The  monarch  spoke  :  the  warriors  snatched  with  haste 
(Each  at  his  post  in  arms)  a  short  repast. 

2.  The  long  a  with  the  long  e  : 

Thence  his  broad  eye  the  subject  world  surveys, 
The  town,  and  tent,  and  navigable  seas. 

3.  The  long  a  with  the  short  e  : 

And  praise  his  genius,  he  is  soon  repaid 

In  praise  applied  to  the  same  part — his  head. 

4.  The  short  a  with  the  broad  a  : 

Gorgonitis  sits,  abdominous  and  wan, 
Like  a  fat  squab  upon  a  Chinese  fan. 

5.  The  broad  a  with  the  grave  a  : 

I  know  to  shift  my  ground,  remount  the  car, 
Turn,  charge,  and  answer  every  call  of  war. 

6.  The  broad  a  with  the  sharp  a  : 

While  round  the  prince  the  Greeks  employ  their  care, 
The  Trojans  rush  impetuous  to  the  war. 

7.  The  broad  a  with  the  long  e  : 

All  who,  true  Dunces,  in  her  cause  appeared, 
And  all  who  knew  those  Dunces  to  reward. 

S.  The  grave  a  with  the  sharp  a  : 

Hence,  British  poets,  too,  the  priesthood  shared, 
And  every  hallowed  Druid  was  a  bard. 


CHAP.  XV.]  RHYME.  175 

9.  The  sharp  a  with  the  long  e  : 

From  the  red  field  their  scattered  bodies  bear, 
And  nigh  the  fleet  a  funeral  structure  rear. 

10.  The  long  e  with  the  short  e  : 

The  war's  whole  art  with  wonder  had  he  seen, 
And  counted  heroes  where  he  counted  men. 

11.  The  long  e  with  the  short  i  : 

Great  Hector  sorrows  for  his  servant  killed, 
Yet  unrevenged  permits  to  press  the  field. 

12.  The  long  e  with  the  short  u  : 

Between  the  swords  their  fearful  sceptres  reared, 
And  first  Idaea's  awful  voice  was  heard.* 

13.  The  short  e  with  the  short  i  : 

All  that  on  folly  frenzy  could  beget, 
Fruits  of  dull  heat  and  toterkins  of  wit. 

14.  The  long  i  with  the  short  i  : 

'Tis  man's  bold  task  the  generous  strife  to  try, 
But  in  the  hands  of  God  is  victory. 

15.  The  long  i  with  the  diphthong  oi  : 

His  radiant  arms  preserved  from  hostile  spoil, 
And  laid  him  decent  on  the  funeral  pile. 

16.  The  long  e  with  the  slnrt  o  : 

Who  near  adored  Scamander  made  abode, 
Priest  of  the  stream,  and  honoured  as  a  god. 

17.  The  long  o  with  the  grave  o  : 

How  shall,  alas  !  her  hoary  heroes  mourn 
Their  sons  degenerate,  and  their  race  a  scorn  ! 


*  It  will  be  observed  that  in  this,  as  in  several  other  instances, 
regard  is  had  to  the  power  of  the  letter,  not  to  the  name. 


176  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.   II. 

18.  The  long  o  with  the  broad  o  : 

With  all  the  simple  and  unlettered  poor, 
Admire  his  learning,  and  almost  adore. 

19.  The  long  o  with  the  short  u  : 

O  thou  !  whose  glory  fills  th'  ethereal  throne, 
And  all  ye  deathless  powers,  protect  my  son  ! 

20.  The  long  o  with  the  diphthong  OIL  : 

Yet  ceased  not  Hector  thus  ;  but  stooping  down, 
In  his  strong  hand  upheaved  a  flinty  stone. 

21.  The  short  o  with  the  broad  o  : 

That  withered  all  their  host :  like  Mars  he  stood  : 
Dire  as  the  monster,  dreadful  as  the  god ! 

22.  The  short  o  with  the  short  u  : 

With  all  their  flippant  fluency  of  tongue, 
Most  confident  when  palpably  most  wrong. 

23.  The  grave  o  with  the  short  u  : 

Then  raised  a  mountain  where  his  bones  were  burned  ; 
The  mountain-nymphs  the  rural  tomb  adorned. 

24.  The  broad  o  with  the  long  u  : 

His  court  the  dissolute  and  hateful  school 

Of  Wantonness,  where  vice  was  taught  to  rule. 

25.  The  broad  o  with  the  short  u  : 

Scorned  by  the  nobler  tenants  of  the  flood, 
Minnows  and  gudgeons  scorn  the  unwholesome  food. 

According  to  the  second  rule,  the  consonants,  if  any 
there  be,  following  the  final  vowel,  should  rhyme,  other 
wise  the  rhyme  is  inadmissible.  The  best  poets  have 
fallen  inadvertently  into  such  rhymes. 

The  two  following  from  POPE  will  suffice  to  illustrate 
this  remark  : 


CHAP.  XV.]  RHYME.  177 

The  sons  of  Dares  first  the  combat  sought, 
A  wealthy  priest,  but  rich  without  a  fault, 

Again  : 

From  drawing-room?,  from  colleges,  from  garrets, 
On  horse,  on  foot,  in  hacks,  and  gilded  chariots. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  multiply  examples  of  inadmissible 
rhymes,  as  the  above-mentioned  rule  will  be  found  a  sure 
test  in  all  cases. 

With  regard  to  the  number  of  words  that  may  be 
made  to  rhyme  with  each  other,  there  is  no  established 
usage.  There  are,  however,  few  examples  of  more  than 
four.  Of  these  there  are  many ;  every  Spenserian 
stanza  furnishes  an  example ;  so  also  does  the  stanza  of 
six  lines  so  often  employed  by  Burns,  and  mentioned  un 
der  the  head  of  the  octo-syllabic  line  (§7).  But  these 
stanzas  are  both  difficult ;  and  the  difficulty  arises  chiefly 
from  the  number  of  words  required  to  rhyme.  The  triplet 
is  much  easier  of  construction.  Of  those  anomalies  of 
verse,  in  which  the  ingenuity  of  the  author  seems  to  have 
been  tasked  to  find  the  greatest  number  of  words  that 
might  be  tortured  into  metre,  and  made  to  terminate  the 
line,  we  will  not  speak.  They  are,  like  bout-rimes  and 
acrostics,  fit  only  for  the  amusement  of  children. 

Rhymes  in  couplets  should  not  be  interrupted  by  other 
rhymes  which  do  not  occur  in  couplets.  This  never  fails 
to  mar  the  harmony  of  the  verse.  Rhymes,  except  in  some 
forms  of  the  ode,  should  always  succeed  each  other  accord 
ing  to  some  certain  law  ;  and  as  the  reader  expects  this,  he 
is  disappointed  when  he  finds  this  regularity  disturbed. 
Byron  has  written  several  pieces  in  which  he  is  quite  capri 
cious  in  the  disposition  of  his  rhymes.  Among  other  pieces 
we  may  instance  The  Lament  of  Tas so,  Churchill's  Grave, 
and  the  Ode  on  Venice.  We  have  only  to  compare  these 


178  CONSTRUCTION.  ['FIT.  11. 

with  The  Dream  and  The  Corsair  of  the  same  author  to 
see  how  inferior  this  irregular  measure  is  to  his  hlank 
verse,  as  well  as  to  his  heroic  measure  in  couplets.  Wit 
ness  the  Ode  on  Venice  : 

Oh,  Venice,  Venice  !  when  thy  marble  walls 

Are  level  with  the  waters,  there  shall  be 

A  cry  of  nations  o'er  thy  sunken  halls, 

A  loud  lament  along  the  sweeping  sea  ! 

If  I,  a  northern  wanderer,  weep  for  thee, 

What  should  thy  sons  do  ]— any  thing  but  weep  ; 

And  yet  they  only  murmur  in  their  sleep. 

In  contrast  with  their  fathers — as  the  slime, 

The  dull  green  ooze  of  the  receding  deep, 

Is  with  the  dashing  of  the  springtide  foam 

That  drives  the  sailor  shipless  to  his  home, 

Are  they  to  those  that  were  ;  and  thus  they  creep, 

Crouching  and  crab-like,  through  their  sapping  streets. 

Oh  !  agony — that  centuries  should  reap 

No  mellower  harvest !     Thirteen  hundred  years 

Of  wealth  and  glory  turn'd  to  dust  and  tears  ; 

And  every  monument  the  stranger  meets, 

Church,  palace,  pillar,  as  a  mourner  greets  ; 

And  even  the  lion  all  subdued  appears, 

And  the  harsh  sound  of  the  barbarian  drum, 

With  dull  and  daily  dissonance,  repeats 

The  echo  of  the  tyrant's  voice  along 

The  soft  waves,  once  all  musical  to  song, 

That  heaved  beneath  the  moonlight  with  the  throng 

Of  gondolas — and  to  the  busy  hum 

Of  cheerful  creatures,  whose  most  sinful  deeds 

Were  but  the  overheating  of  the  heart, 

And  flow  of  too  much  happiness,  which  needs 

The  aid  of  age  to  turn  its  course  apart 

From  the  luxuriant  and  voluptuous  flood 

Of  sweet  sensations,  battling  with  the  blood. 


CHAP.  XVJ.J  DIFFICULT    COMBINATIONS.  179 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

DIFFICULT      COMBINATIONS. 

§  59.  Examples. 

UNDER  this  head  are  included  all  lines  which  are  un 
commonly  harsh,  or  which  it  is  impossible  to  scan  accord- 
ing  to  the  ordinary  rules  of  versification.  MILTON  abounds 
in  such  lines.  He  seems  at  times  to  have  studied  harsh 
ness  for  the  sake  of  variety.  Witness  the  following  ex 
amples  : 

His  temple  right  against  the  temple  of  God. 

Forthwith  his  former  state  of  being  forgets, 
Forgets  both  joy  and  grief,  pleasure  and  pain. 

Sat  sable-vested  Night,  eldest  of  things. 

And  heightened  as  with  wine  jocund  and  boon. 

What  words  have  passed  thy  lips,  Adam  severe  ! 

Yet  willingly  chose  rather  death  with  thee. 

Save  what  sin  hath  impaired,  which  yet  hath  wrought. 

So  talked  the  spirited  sly  snake ;  and  Eve. 

Unbid  ;  and  thou  shall  eat  th'  herb  of  the  field. 

And  powers  that  erst  in  heaven  sat  on  thrones. 

Moors  by  his  side  under  the  lee,  while  night. 

But  sometimes  in  the  air,  as  we,  sometimes. 

To  transubstantiate  :  what  redounds,  transpires. 

To  whom  the  patriarch  of  mankind  replied. 

The  grateful  twilight  (for  night  comes  not  there.) 

His  course  intended  ;  else  how  had  the  world. 

That  I  mret  leava  ye,  sons  :  O  were  T  able. 


150  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

Soft  words  to  his  fierce  passion  she  assayed  > 

Fooled  and  beguiled,  by  him  thou,  I  by  thee. 

That  excellence  thought  in  thee,  and  implies. 

Pains  only  in  child-bearing  were  foretold. 

Line  the  slant  lightning,  whose  thwart  flames  driven  down. 

With  whose  stolen  fruit,  man  once  more  to  delude. 

O  miserable  mankind,  to  what  fall. 

Meanwhile  the  south  wind  rose,  and  with  black  wings. 

Though  these  lines  are  harsh,  and  some  of  them 
constructed  contrary  to  the  rules  of  versification,  this 
harshness  is  not  the  result  of  ignorance  or  inadvertency. 
They  were  inserted  for  the  sake  of  variety,  and  contribute 
greatly  to  harmony. 

COWPER  has  admitted  such  lines  not  for  the  purpose  of 
harmony,  but  for  strength,  a  quality  to  which  he  sacrificed 
almost  every  other.  A  few  examples  will  suffice: 

And  brethren  in  calamity  should  love. 
The  tumult  and  the  overthrow,  the  pangs. 
And,  happy  in  their  unforeseen  release. 
Kindled  in  Heaven,  that  it  burns  down  to  Earth. 
And  shamed  as  we  have  been,  to  th'  veiy  beard. 
Object  of  my  implacable  disgust. 
Through  the  pressed  nostril,  spectacle-bestrid. 
He  that  negotiates  between  God  and  man. 

Dr.  YOUNG,  though  he  rarely  violated  the  established 
rules  of  verse,  often  made  such  a  disposition  of  the  second 
ary  feet  as  produced  a  great  degree  of  harshness.  Wit 
ness  the  following  examples : 

Active,  ae'rial,  towering,  unconfined. 


CHAP.  XVI. J  DIFFICULT   COMBINATIONS.  181 

Man's  foresight  is  conditionally  wise. 

Us  spendthrifts  of  inestimable  time. 

Time  flies,  death  urges,  knells  call,  Heaven  invites. 

'Tis  converse  qualifies  for  solitude. 

But  since  friends  grow  not  thick  on  every  bough. 

Resenting,  rallies,  and  wakes  every  wo, 

COLERIDGE,  though  a  good  versifier  in  general,  has 
some  lines  that  are  quite  prosaic,  and  many  that  are  ex 
ceedingly  harsh : 

From  yon  hill-point,  nay,  from  our  castle  watchtower. 

In  the  same  storm  that  baffled  his  own  valour. 

You  are  lost  in  thought ;  hear  him  no  more,  sweet  lady  ! 

There  is  no  room  in  this  heart  for  puling  love-tales. 

Your  mien  is  noble,  and,  I  own,  perplexed  me. 

Tries  to  o'erreach  me — is  a  very  sharper. 

His  weak  eyes  seethed  in  most  unmeaning  tears. 

When  a  few  odd  prayers  have  been  muttered  o'er  them. 

Whate'er  be  this  man's  doom,  fair  be  it,  or  foul. 

BYRON  abounds  in  harsh  lines.  He  has  many  noble 
Spenserian  stanzas,  harmonious  as  the  notes  of  Apollo's 
lyre,  but  melody  he  seems  to  have  regarded  as  a  second 
ary  beauty.  The  following  examples  will  illustrate  this 
remark : 

In  its  own  eddy  boiling  and  o'erwrought. 

With  nought  of  hope  left,  but  with  less  of  gloom. 

Tears,  big  tears,  gushed  from  the  rough  soldier's  lid, 

To  that  which  is  immediate,  and  require, 

Now,  where  the  swift  Rhone  cleaves  his  way  between. 
9 


182  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II, 

Such  as  I  sought  for,  and  at  moments  found. 
Less  lovely,  or  more  powerful,  and  couldst  claim. 
These  are  four  minds,  which,  like  the  elements. 
Awakening  without  wounding  the  touched  heart. 
This  uneradicable  taint  of  sin. 
Too  brightly  on  the  unprepared  mind. 

We  will  add  the  following  from  Dr.  BEATTIE  : 
Yet  horror  screams  from  his  discordant  throat. 
Prompting  the  ungenerous  wish,  the  selfish  scheme. 
And  lo  !  in  the  dark  east,  expanded  high. 
O  cruel !  will  no  pang  of  pity  pierce. 
Alas !  how  is  that  rugged  heart  forlorn  ! 
A  stag  sprang  from  the  pasture  at  his  call. 
With  fell  revenge,  lust  that  defies  control. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

INVERSION. 

• -v»  9 .o       §60.  Definition  of  Inversion. 

IN  the  English  language  the  grammatical  order  of  a 
sentence  requires  that  the  subject  should  occupy  the  first 
place,  the  verb  the  second,  and  the  attribute  the  third 
place. 

When  we  say  that  this  is  the  grammatical  order,  it  is 
not  understood  that  this  is  necessarily  the  natural  order. 
The  natural  order  may  not  accord  with  the  grammatical 
order,  and,  in  many  cases,  it  does  not.  By  the  natural 
order,  we  mean  the  order  which  assigns  to  the  first  place, 


CHAP.  XVII.]  INVERSION. 


183 


the  word  that  represents  the  idea  which  is  uppermost  in 
the  mind.  By  grammatical  order,  we  mean,  simply,  the 
order  required  by  the  English  idiom.  Every  departure 
from  this  is  termed  an  inversion.  It  is  not  our  intention  to 
give  examples  of  all  the  varieties  of  inversion  found  in  the 
English  Poets.  We  shall  content  ourselves  with  classi 
fying  some  of  the  inversions  which  are  more  peculiar  to 
poetical  composition,  and  with  giving  such  examples  as 
shall  illustrate  these  classes. 

It  is  proper  to  remark,  that  inversions  are  more  frequent 
in  blank  verse  than  in  rhyme,  because  blank  verse,  having 
otherwise  nothing  to  distinguish  it  from  prose,  except  the 
feet,  requires  the  aid  of  inversion  oftener  than  rhyme  does. 

We  have  said  above  that  the  grammatical  order  re 
quires  that  the  nominative  should  take  the  first  place,  the 
verb  the  second,  and  the  attribute  the  third. 

§  61.   The  first  species  of  Inversion. 

The  first  species  of  inversion  that  we  shall  point  out, 
is  that  in  which  the  attribute  occupies  the  first  place, 
the  nominative  the  second,  and  the  verb  the  third.  We 
shall  include  under  this  head  those  instances  in  which  the 
attribute  contains  : 

1st.  An  objective  governed  by  a  transitive  verb. 

2d.  An  objective  governed  by  a  preposition  which 
precedes  it,  both  of  these  preceding  the  nominative  and 
the  verb. 

3d.  An  objective  preceding  the  verb,  and  the  govern 
ing  preposition  following  the  verb. 

We  shall  also  include  those  instances, 

4th.  In  which  the  objective  occupies  the  first  place, 
the  auxiliary  the  second,  the  nominative  the  third,  and  the 
principal  verb  the  fourth  place. 


184  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.    II. 

5th.  The  objective  the  first  place,  the  verb  the  second 
place,  and  the  nominative  the  third  place  ;  and 

6th.  A  verb  intransitive  preceding  its  nominative. 

I.  We  will  give  some  examples  of  the  objective  pre 
ceding  both  the  nominative  and  the  transitive  verb  by 
which  this  objective  is  governed  : 


So  Satan  spake,  and  Jugi  Beel'/ehub 
Thus  answered. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  I. 
Again  : 

-  Hiip  the  Ammonite 

Worshipped  in  Rabba  and  her  watery  plain, 
In  Argob,  and  in  Basan,  to  the  stream 
Of  utmost  Arnon  ;  nor  content  with  such 
Audacious  neighbourhood,  the  wises_tjj£arl 
Of  Solomon  he  led  by  fraud,  to  build 
His  temple  right  against  the  temple  of  God, 
On  that  opprobrious  hill. 

Id. 

In  this  example,  him  in  the  first  line,  and  heart  in  the 
fifth,  are  governed  by  verbs  which  follow,  the  nominative 
coming  between  the  objective  and  the  verb. 

Again  : 

The  key  of  this  infernal  pit,  by  due, 

And  by  command  of  Heaven's  all-powerful  King, 

I  keep. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  II. 
Again  : 

-  But  this  the  theme 

I  sing,  enraptured,  to  the  British  Fair, 
Forbids,  and  leads  me  to  the  mountain-brow. 

THOMSON.  —  Seasons  —  Spring. 
Again  : 

Thee  I  revisit  now  with  bolder  wing, 

Escaped  the  Stygian  pool,  though  long  detained 


CHAP.  XVII.]  f  INVERSION.  185 

In  that  obscure  sojourn,  while  in  my  flight 

Through  utter  and  through  middle  darkness  borne, 

With  other  notes  than  to  the  Orphean  lyre, 

I  sung  of  Chaos  and  eternal  night, 

Taught  by^the  heavenly  muse  to  venture  down 

The  dark  descent,  and  up  to  re-ascend, 

Though  hard  and  rare  ;  thee  I  revisit  safe. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  III. 

Again  : 

Thee,  too,  I  weep,  no  more  thy  youthful  form 
Shall^blossom  with  new  beauties,  now  no  more 
Thy  brother's  arms  shall  twine  about  thy  neck 
In  strict  embrace,  but  to  the  dragon's  heart 
Swift  shalt  thou  send  thy  shafts  entipped  with  flame, 
And  round  his  bosom  weave  the  limed  nets 
Of  love  ;  but  loathing  shall  possess  thy  soul, 
Thy  blood  shall  flow  upon  thy  father's  hearth, 
And  low  the  glories  of  thine  head  shall  lie. 

LORD  ROYSTON. — Lycophron's  Cassandra. 

Again  : 

Thee  shall  the  lion  son  of  Iphis  drag 
To  bloody  rites,  and  nuptial  sacrifice, 
Like  his  dark  mother  on  the  Taurid  shore, 
Who,  crowned  with  chaplets  of  infernal  bloom, 
Shall  stand,  and  pour  her  life  into  the  bowl, 
What  time  her  side  shall  feel  Candaon's  blade, 
Raised  by  the  priestly  dragon,  who,  from  oaths 
Shall  free  the  wolves  which  howl  about  her  tomb. 

Id. 

Again : 

Achilles'  wrath,  to  Greece  the  direful  spring 
Of  woes  unnumbered,  heavenly  Goddess,  sing. 

POPE. — Homer's  Iliad. 

Again : 

And  this  place  my  forefathers  made  for  man  ! 

COLERIDGE. — Remorse,  Act  V.  Sc.  1. 

This  variety  of  the  first  species  of  inversion  is  often 


186  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

resorted  to,  both  in  blank  verse  and  in  rhyme,  and  it  con 
tributes  to  strength  even  more  than  harmony. 

II.  Our  next  examples  shall  be  such  as  illustrate  the 
use  of  the  objective  governed  by  a  preposition,  which  pre 
cedes  this  objective  and  the  nominative  and  the  verb. 

And  first,  the  opening  of  Paradise  Lost  furnishes  a 
beautiful  example : 

Of  man's  first  disobedience,  and  the  fruit 
Of  that  forbidden  tree,  whose  mortal  taste 
Brought  death  into  the  world,  and  all  our  wo, 
With  loss  of  Eden,  till  one  greater  Man 
Restore  us,  and  regain  the  blissful  seat, 
Sing,  heavenly  Muse. 

Again  : 

To  prayer,  repentance,  and  obedience  due, 
Though  but  endeavoured  with  sincere  intent, 
Mine  ear  shall  not  be  slow,  mine  eye  not  shut. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  III. 

Again : 

Well  thou  know'st  how  dear 

To  me  are  all  thy  works,  nor  man  the  least, 
Though  last  created ;  that  for  him  I  spare 
Thee  from  my  bosom  and  right  hand,  to  save, 
By  losing  thee  awhile,  the  whole  race  lost. 

Id. 

Again : 

Oft  with  th'  enchantress  of  his  soul  he  talks  ; 

Sometimes  in  crowds  distressed  ;  or  if  retired 

To  secret,  winding,  flower-enwoven  bowers, 

Far  from  the  dull  impertinence  of  Man. 

THOMSON. — Seasons — Spring. 
Again  : 

These  are  the  charming  agonies  of  love, 

Whose  misery  delights.     But  through  the  heart 

Should  jealousy  its  venom  once  diffuse, 

'Tis  then  delightful  misery  no  more. 

Id. 


CHAP.  XVII.]  INVERSION,  187 

In  the  following  example,  the  preposition  is  separated 
from  one  of  the  related  nouns  by  several  intervening  cir 
cumstances  : 

Meanwhile,  upon  the  firm  opacous  globe 

Of  this  round  world,  whose  first  convex  divides 

The  luminous  inferior  orbs  enclosed 

From  Chaos  and  th'  inroad  of  Darkness  old, 

Satan  alighted  walks. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  III. 

In  the  following  example  we  have  a  repetition  of  the 
inversion  : 

By  the  life  you  gave  me, 

By  all  that  makes  that  life  of  value  to  me, 
My  wife,  my  babes,  my  honour,  1  swear  to  you, 
Name  it,  and  I  will  toil  to  do  the  thing, 
If  it  be  innocent ! 

COLERIDGE. — Remorse,  Act  IV.  Sc.  2. 

This  variety  of  the  inversion  is  of  frequent  occur 
rence,  and  always  has  an  agreeable  effect. 

III.  Our  next  example  is  an  instance  of  the  objective 
coming   before  the  nominative  and  verb  intransitive,  the 
governing  preposition  following  all  these.      This  variety  of 
the  first  species  of  inversion   is  extremely  rare.      It  is 
rather  harsh,  and  we  cannot  wish  it  were  employed  more 
frequently. 

His  spear,  to  equal  which,  the  tallest  pine 
Hewn  on  Norwegian  hills,  to  be  the  mast 
Of  some  great  admiral,  were  but  a  wand, 
He  walked  with  to  support  uneasy  steps 
Over  the  burning  marie,  not  like  those  steps 

On  heaven's  azure. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  I. 

IV.  Our  next  example  is  an  instance  of  the  objective 


188  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

occupying  the  first  place,  the  auxiliary  the  second,  the 
nominative  the  third,  and  the  principal  verb  the  fourth 
place.  This  inversion  is  not  often  resorted  to.  The  fol 
lowing  is  a  happy  example  of  it : 

Plots  have  I  laid,  inductions  dangerous, 
By  drunken  prophecies,  libels,  and  dreams, 
To  set  my  brother  Clarence  and  the  king 
In  deadly  hate,  the  one  against  the  other. 

Richard  III.,  Act  I.  Sc.  1. 

Again  : 

A  heavy  sentence,  my  most  sovereign  liege, 
And  all  unlooked-for  from  your  highness'  mouth  ; 
A  dearer  merit,  not  so  deep  a  maim 
As  to  be  cast  forth  in  the  common  air, 
Have  I  deserved  at  your  highness'  hand. 

Richard  II.,  Act  I.  Sc.  3. 

V.  Our  next  example  is  an  instance  of  the  most  un 
common  of  all  the  inversions,  viz.,  the  objective  occupy 
ing  the  first  place,  the  governing  verb  the  second  place, 
and  the  nominative  the  third  place. 

But  far  the  father  from  his  isle  shall  drive 
Trambelus'  brother,  whom  to  light  and  life 
Brought  forth  that  sister  of  my  sire,  whom  erst 
His  prize  of  battle  the  destroyer  bore. 

LORD  ROYSTON. — Lycophron's  Cassandra. 

VI.  Examples  of  the  fifth  variety  are  numerous,  and 
as  this  is  rarely  employed  in  prose,  it  is  peculiarly  adapted 
to  poetical  composition.     Witness  the  following  examples  : 

And  now  went  forth  the  morn 

Such  as  in  highest  heaven,  arrayed  in  gold 
Empyreal ;  from  before  her  vanished  night, 
Shot  through  with  orient  beams. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  VI. 


CHAP.  XVII.]  INVERSION. 


189 


Again  : 

Now  came  still  evening  on,  and  twilight  gray 
Had  in  her  sober  livery  all  things  clad. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  IV. 

Again  : 

dire  was  the  noise 

Of  conflict. 

Id. 

Again : 

The  sea,  that  emblem  of  uncertainty, 
Changed  not  so  fast  for  many  and  many  an  age, 
As  this  small  spot.     To-day  'twas  full  of  maskers  ; 
And  lo,  the  madness  of  the  carnival, 
The  monk,  the  nun,  the  holy  legate  masked  ! 
To-morrow  came  the  scaffold  and  the  headsman  ; 
And  he  died  there  by  torch-light  bound  and  gagged, 
Whose  name  and  crime  they  knew  not. 

ROGERS. — Italy. 

Again  : 

First  came  the  Brides  in  all  their  loveliness ; 
Each  in  her  veil,  and  by  two  bride-maids  followed, 
Only  less  lovely,  who,  behind  her,  bore 
The  precious  caskets  that  within  contained 

The  dowry  and  the  presents. 

Id. 

§  62.   The  second  species  of  Inversion. 

The  second  species  of  inversion  is  that  in  which  the 
objective  precedes  the  governing  verb,  when  this  verb  is 
in  the  infinitive  mood. 

Such  destruction  to  withstand 

He  hasted,  and  opposed  the  rocky  orb. 

This  inversion  is  artificial  and  harsh  ;  it  is  rarely  re 
sorted  to. 

§  63.   The  third  species  of  Inversion. 

The  third  species  of  inversion  is  that  in  which,  though 
9* 


190  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

the  nominative  begins  the  sentence,  the  objective  precedes 
its  governing  verb,  or  is  placed  between  the  auxiliary  and 
the  principal.  This  is  an  inversion  that  often  occurs. 

I.  Now  morn,  her  rosy  steps  in  th'  eastern  clime 
Advancing,  sowed  the  earth  with  orient  pearl, 
When  Adam  waked. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  V. 

Again  : 

He,  with  his  consorted  Eve, 
The  story  heard  attentive,  and  was  filled 
With  admiration  and  deep  muse,  to  hear 
Of  things  so  high  and  strange. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  VII. 

Again  : 

Joyous,  th'  impatient  husbandman  perceives 
Relenting  Nature,  and  his  lusty  steers 
Drives  from  their  stalls,  to  where  the  well-used  plough 
Lies  in  the  furrow,  loosened  from  the  frost. 

THOMSON. — Seasons — Spring. 

Again  : 

The  busy  crew  their  moorings  had  unloosed, 
And  heaved  their  heavy  anchors  from  the  sand. 

LORD  ROYSTON. — Lycophron's  Cassandra. 

Again  : 

for  then  nor  foss,  nor  earthy  mound, 

Nor  bars,  nor  bolts,  nor  massy  walls,  though  flanked 
With  beetling  towers,  and  rough  with  palisades, 
Aught  shall  avail. 

Id. 

These  examples  are  sufficient  to  illustrate  the  use  of 
the  objective  after  the  nominative,  but  before  the  govern 
ing  verb. 

II.  In  the  following  examples  we  have  the  objective  be 
tween  the  auxiliary  and  the  verb.  Both  of  these  varieties 
of  the  inversion  are  exceedingly  beautiful.  The  occur- 


CHAP.  XVII.]  INVERSION.  191 

rence  of  the  objective  between  the  auxiliary  and  the  verb 
is  by  no  means  so  frequent  as  that  of  the  objective  before 
the  verb.  The  following  examples  will  show  the  beauty 
of  this  variety.  And,  first,  we  will  give  an  example  from 
MILTON,  in  which  he  has  made  use  of  both  these  varieties, 
together  with  the  fourth  variety  of  the  first  species. 

Now  came  still  evening  on,  and  twilight  gray 
Had  in  her  sober  livery  all  things  clad  ; 
Silence  accompanied  :  for  beast  and  bird, 
They  to  their  grassy  couch,  these  to  their  nests, 
Were  slunk,  all  but  the  wakeful  nightingale  ; 
She  all  night  long  her  amorous  descant  sung, 
Silence  was  pleased  ;  now  glowed  the  firmament 
With  living  sapphires. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  IV. 

Should  I  rny  steps  turn  to  the  rural  seat, 

Whose  lofty  elms  and  venerable  oaks 

Invite  the  rook,  who,  high  amid  the  boughs, 

In  early  spring,  his  airy  city  builds, 

And  ceaseless  caws  amusive  ;  there,  well  pleased, 

I  might  the  various  polity  survey 

Of  the  mixt  household  kind. 

THOMSON. — Seasons — Spring. 

In  this  example,  as  in  the  preceding,  we  have  these 
two  varieties  of  the  third  species  of  inversion.  The  fol 
lowing  is  an  example  of  the  second  variety  alone  : 

Oh  !  ne'er  had  Cadmus  on  the  beachy  verge 
Of  Issa  thee  engendered  ;  thee,  the  fourth 
From  giant  Atlas ;  thee,  who  to  the  Greeks 
Shalt  prophecy  of  wars  and  victories, 
Prylis,  and  teach  thy  kindred  blood  to  flow ! 

LORD  RoYSTON.—Lycophron's  Cassandra  . 


192  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 


§  64.   The  fourth  species  of  Inversion. 

The  fourth  species  of  inversion  is  where  the  verb  be 
gins  the  sentence  and  the  nnm  jpa.fi  va  follows  it  thp  nh. 
jective  coming  after  both  ;  or  where,  the  verb  beginning 
the  sentence,  the  nominative  follows  as  above,  and  the 
attribute,  which  consists  of  several  words,  occupies  the 
third  place.  These  inversions  are  not  often  employed, 
though  they  have  a  very  poetical  effect. 

I.  SHAKSPEARE  furnishes  a  very  beautiful  example  of 
the  first  of  these  inversions  : 

Needs  must  I  like  it  well  ;  I  weep  for  joy, 
To  stand  upon  my  kingdom  once  again. — 
Dear  earth,  I  do  salute  thee  with  my  hand, 
Though  rebels  wound  thee  with  their  horses'  hoofs  : 
As  a  long  parted  mother  with  her  child 
Plays  fondly  with  her  tears,  and  smiles  in  meeting  ; 
So,  weeping,  smiling,  greet  I  thee,  my  earth, 
And  do  thee  favour  with  my  royal  hands. 

Richard  II. ,Act  III.  Sc.  1. 

II.  Of  the  second  variety,  also,  the   same  poet  fur 
nishes  a  beautiful  example : 

And  in  this  state  she  gallops  night  by  night 
Through  lovers'  brains,  and  then  they  dream  of  love  : 
On  courtiers'  knees,  that  dream  on  court'sies  straight : 
O'er  lawyers'  fingers,  who  straight  dream  on  fees  : 
O'er  ladies'  lips,  who  straight  on  kisses  dream  ; 
Which  oft  the  angry  Mab  with  blisters  plagues, 
Because  their  breaths  with  sweetmeats  tainted  are. 
Sometime  she  gallops  o'er  a  courtier's  nose, 
And  then  dreams  he  of  smelling  out  a  suit: 
And  sometimes  comes  she  with  a  tithe-pig's  tail, 
Tickling  a  parson's  nose  as  'a  lies  asleep, 
Then  dreams  he  of  another  benefice  : 
Sometime  she  driveth  o'er  a  soldier's  neck, 


CHAP.  XVII.]  INVEKSION. 

And  then  dreams  he  of  cutting  foreign  throats, 
Of  breaches,  ambuscadoes,  Spanish  blades, 
Of  healths  five  fathom  deep. 

Romeo  and  Juliet,  Act  I.  Sc.  4. 


§  65.   The  fifth  species  of  Inversion. 

We  now  proceed  to  the  fifth  species  of  inversion, 
which  is  the  use  of  the  past  participle  before  the  substan 
tive  verb  in  the  passive  voice.  This  inversion  is  very 
rare,  and  as  it  is  harsh,  we  cannot  wish  that  it  were  more 
frequent.  One  example  will  suffice  : 

Mow  storming  fury  rose, 

And  clamour  such  as  heard  in  heaven  till  now 

Was  never. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  VI. 


§  66.    The  sixth  species  of  Inversion. 

The  sixth  species  of  inversion  which  we  shall  notice 
consists  of  two  nominatives,  one  of  which  is  put  in  this 
case  by  apposition,  both  placed  before  a  neuter  verb,  in- 
stead  of  one's  being  placed  after  it.  This  species  of  inver 
sion,  like  the  preceding,  is  extremely  rare  : 

about  them  round, 

A  lion  now,  he  stalks  with  fiery  glare. 

Id.,  Book  IV. 

§  67.   The  seventh  species  of  Inversion. 

The  seventh  species  of  inversion  is  also  rarely  found. 
It  is  the  use  of  the  infinitive  before  the  governing  verb, 
It  is  very  harsh,  as  the  following  examples  will  show : 


194  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

The  stealing  shower  is  scarce  to  patter  heard, 
By  such  as  wander  through  the  forest  walks, 
Beneath  the  umbrageous  multitude  of  leaves. 

THOMSON.  —  Seasons. 
Again  : 

O  argument  blasphemous,  false,  and  proud  ! 
Words  which  no  ear  ever  to  hear  in  Heaven 
Expected,  least  of  all  from  thee,ingrate, 
In  place  thyself  so  high  above  thy  peers. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  V. 

The  following  example,  already  quoted  to  illustrate  the 
second  species  of  inversion  (§  62),  furnishes  another  in- 
stance,  a  little  less  harsh  than  the  preceding  : 

-  with  huge  two-handed  sway 
Brandished  aloft  the  horrid  edge  came  down 
Wide  wasting  ;  such  destruction  to  withstand 
He  hasted. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  VI. 


§  68.   The  eighth  species  of  Inversion. 

The  eighth  species  of  inversion  is  the  placing  of  an 
adjective  after  the  noun  which  it  modifies,  when  these  are 
not  separated  by  the  substantive  verb  ;  or  the  placing  of 
the  adjective  before  the  noun,  when  they  are  so  separated. 
Of  the  first  of  these  witness  the  following  : 

-  out  of  the  ground  up  rose, 
As  from  his  lair,  the  wild  beast  where  he  wons 
In  forest  wild,  in  thicket,  brake,  or  den  ; 
Among  the  trees  in  pairs  they  rose,  they  walked  ; 
The  cattle  in  the  fields  and  meadows  green. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  VII. 

This  is  a  very  common  inversion,  and  is  almost  always 
agreeable. 

Witness  again  the  following  : 


CHAP.  XVII.]  INVERSION.  105 

'Tis  by  thy  secret,  strong,  attractive  force, 
As  with  a  chain  indissoluble  bound, 
Thy  system  rolls  entire. 

THOMSON. — Seasons — Summer. 

Again  : 

In  himself  was  all  his  state, 

More  solemn  than  the  tedious  pomp  that  waits 

On  princes,  when  the  rich  retinue  long 

Of  horses  led,  and  grooms  besmeared  with  gold, 

Dazzles  the  crowd,  and  sets  them  all  agape. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  V. 

It  will  be  seen  that  there  are,  at  the  end  of  the  third 
line  of  this  passage,  two  adjectives,  one  before  and  one 
after  the  noun. 

The  next  shall  be  an  exemplification  of  the  adjective 
placed  before  the  noun,  when  the  noun  and  adjective  are 
separated  by  the  substantive  verb  : 

arms  on  armour  clashing  brayed 

Horrible  discord,  and  the  madding  wheels 
Of  brazen  chariots  raged  ;  dire  was  the  noise 
Of  conflict ;  over  head  the  dismal  hiss 
Of  fiery  darts  in  flaming  vollies  flew, 
And  flying  vaulted  either  host  with  fire. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  VI. 


Airain 


Sweet  is  the  breath  of  morn,  her  rising  sweet, 
With  charm  of  earliest  birds  ;  pleasant  the  sun, 
When  first  on  this  delightful  land  he  spreads 
His  orient  beams  on  herb,  tree,  fruit  and  flower, 
Glistering  with  dew  ;  fragrant  the  fertile  earth 
Afterroft  showers  ;  and  sweet  the  coming  on 
Of  grateful  evening  mild. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  IV. 


196  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.  II. 

Again : 

clad  they  were 

In  bridal  white  with  bridal  ornaments, 
Each  in  her  glittering  veil. 

ROGERS. — Italy. 
Again  : 

Great  was  the  joy  ;  but  at  the  Nuptial  Feast, 
When  all  sate  down,  the  Bride  herself  was  wanting. 

Id. 

This  inversion  contributes  greatly  to  the  strength,  be 
sides  adding  much  to  the  poetical  effect. 

§  69.    Various  Inversions  of  the  Adverb. 

There  are  numerous  inversions  of  the  adverb.  This, 
according  to  the  grammatical  order,  should  be  placed 
near  the  word  or  clause  which  it  modifies,  so  that  this 
modification  may  be  unequivocal.  When  the  adverb  is 
placed  at  some  distance  from  the  word  that  it  modifies,  it 
is  an  inversion.  Since  the  adverb  has  no  uniform  place 
assigned  to  it  by  the  grammatical  order,  as  the  nominative 
has,  it  is  impossible  to  reduce  the  inversions  of  adverbs  to 
any  classification  like  that  which  we  have  made  of  the 
other  inversions,  but  we  will  give  a  few  examples,  to  show 
the  nature  of  this  inversion  : 

Not  in  the  legions 

Of  horrid  hell,  can  come  a  devil  more  damned, 
In  ills  to  top  Macbeth. 

SHAKSPEARE. 
Again  : 

and  when  oft  with  swelling  tears, 

Flashed  through  by  indignation,  he  b^ailed 
The  wrongs  of  Belgium's  martyred  patriots, 
Oh,  what  a  grief  was  there — for  joy  to  envy, 
Or  gaze  upon  enamoured  ! 

COLERIDGE. — Remorse. 


CHAP.  XVII.]  INVERSION.  197 

Again  : 

'Twas  Jove's — 'tis  Mahomet's — and  other  creeds 
Will  rise  with  other  years,  till  man  shall  learn 
Vainly  his  incense  soars,  his  victim  bleeds. 

BYRON. — Childe  Harold. 

In  all  of  these  instances,  the  adverb  is  placed  other 
wise  than  would  be  required  by  the  grammatical  order. 

In  the  following  example  we  have  the  adverb  placed 
between  the  infinitive  verb  and  the  particle  which  is  the 
sign  of  the  infinitive.  This  is  condemned  alike  in  prose 
and  verse : 

To  sit  on  rocks,  to  muse  o'er  flood  and  fell, 
To  slowly  trace  the  forest's  shady  scene, 
Where  things  that  own  not  man's  dominion  dwell, 
And  mortal  foot  hath  ne'er  or  rarely  been. 

Childe  Harold,  Canto  II. 

Again : 

The  waters  thus 

With  fish  replenished,  and  ihe  air  with  fowl, 
Evening  and  morn  solemnized  the  fifth  day. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  VII. 

Again : 

To  ask  or  search  I  blame  thee  not ;  for  Heaven 
Is,  as  the  book  of  God,  before  thee  set 
Wherein  to  read  his  wondrous  works,  and  learn 
His  seasons,  hours,  or  days,  or  months,  or  years. 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  VIII. 

Again: 

Fain  would  I  pay  thee  with  eternity, 
But  ill  my  genius  answers  my  desire  : 
My  sickly  song  is  mortal,  past  thy  cure. 

DR.  YOUNG. 

Again : 

The  passions  oft,  to  hear  her  shell, 
Throng'd  around  her  magic  cell. 

COLLINS. — Ode  on  the  Passions. 


108  CONSTRUCTION.  [TIT.   II. 

Again  : 

And  oft  as  ease  and  health  retire 
To  breezy  lawn,  or  forest  deep, 
The  friend  shall  view  yon  whitening  spire, 
And  'mid  the  varied  landscape  weep. 

COLLINS. 
Ode  on  the  Death  of  Mr.  Thomson. 


THE   END. 


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